Title: “Spider-Man: No Way Home”

Release date: In theaters (wide) Dec. 17, 2021

Directed by: Joe Watts

Written by: Chris McKenna and Erik Sommers, based on the Marvel comics

Starring: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marissa Tomei, Martin Starr

Run time: 2 hours, 28 minutes

Genres: Comic book superhero/action

Rated: PG-13 (for sequences of action/violence, brief suggestive comments, some language)

Where I saw it: At a local independent theater on a Sunday night, $5, about 40 other people in the theater

What it is about: When Spider-Man’s identity is revealed, Peter Parker (Holland) turns to Dr. Strange (Cumberbatch) to restore his secret. But Dr. Strange’s spell creates chaos when it unleashes the most dangerous villains Spider-Man has ever faced.

How I saw it: “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a huge, ambitious, fun movie bursting with entertainment. It’s a crowd-pleaser of the highest order. And, sure, much of it qualifies as fan service, but in the best possible way, with familiar faces and clever references made with a wink. It should be seen in a theater (don’t wait for it to stream) because it is too grand to be contained to a smaller screen. And the crowd reaction should only enhance the experience. When I saw it with a Sunday night crowd made up of largely younger people and families with children, we laughed, cried, gasped and cheered together. Without going into great detail about the story (the movie’s secrets might still be intact as you read this), “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is the best of the three Spidey movies made by Watts (which is saying something, as “Spider-Man: Homecoming” and “Spider-Man: Far From Home” were no slouches in quality or box-office earning power), as it builds on the Holland era films while giving the title character room to mature. Peter Parker still is a teenager trying to get into college, but he seems more confident and comfortable being a superhero. His purpose seems more defined. The action sequences are a thrill ride, especially when Spider-Man takes on Doc Ock (Molina reprising his role from 2004’s “Spider-Man 2”) on a traffic-covered bridge and does battle with Norman Osborn/Green Goblin (a much-improved Dafoe back in the role from 2002’s “Spider-Man”) in a condominium. The laughs are of the rapid-fire variety (the whole film seems to sprint past way faster than its 148-minute run time), but Watts knows when to bring the dramatic substance and action. The first act is fantastic, but the film jumps up a couple of notches after a tragedy about the midway point. To give away more would be a crime. Pressed by my adult son (who was seeing it for the second time already) to come up with something I did not like about the movie, the best I could do was that Peter Parker’s sidekick (Batalon as Ned Leeds) didn’t seem as quite as compelling as I remember him, especially from the first movie in the current trilogy. And the love story between Peter Parker and MJ (Zendaya) that is such a big part of the original Spider-Man trilogy largely takes a backseat here. But those beefs are quite minor. This is a spectacular movie. Though I have a soft spot in my heart for the cheesy charm of Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2” (I consider it the second-best comic-book movie ever behind “The Dark Knight”), this is in many ways a superior movie (though, to be fair, nothing in any of the other Spider-Man movies is as perfect as the train scene in “2”). It’s not likely to change your world or outlook on life, but “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is a whole lot of “wow!”

Who it should appeal to: Just about anyone with a pulse.

My score: 94 out of 100.