SPOILERS FOR “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” AHEAD
Last week, I had the pleasure of being able to view “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” in theaters in South Jersey. As an avid Marvel fan, I was beyond excited for another installment to the “Spider-Man” series. These movies have remained high on my personal list of Marvel highlights, with “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) being one of my all-time favorites. I went into “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” with extremely high expectations, and it’s safe to say I was not disappointed. While there were many phenomenal performances throughout the film, such as Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ, and Tramell Tillman as Bill Metzger, there were two that really stood out to me.
Images via “Spider-Man: Brand New Day”
The first was John Bernthal’s portrayal of the Punisher. Bernthal has been playing this character for years now, with his first appearance being in the second season of “Daredevil”. Even though this was my first impression of Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher, his performance really stuck with me. Near the end of the film, in a tense moment between Spider-Man & Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey, Frank Castle attempts to assassinate Jean but shoots Spider-Man as he attempts to protect her. The moment made my family and myself gasp, especially after seeing the severity of the bullet wound. Later on, Castle apologizes to Peter Parker in an extremely emotional and heartfelt scene - some of the best dialogue in the film. This emotional performance from Bernthal really tugged on my heartstrings, adding a layer to the character I personally didn’t expect. The Frank Castle at the beginning of the film drastically differed from the one depicted at the end of the film (in an incredible way). I look forward to watching both the “Punisher” series, along with the newly released standalone television special“The Punisher: One Last Kill” (2026).
Image via Variety
In addition to Bernthal, another standout performance in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” was Sadie Sink as Jean Grey. As someone who isn’t well-versed when it comes to “X-Men” lore, Sink’s performance makes me want to watch all of the films and TV series. Sink’s portrayal of Grey reminded me of her breakout performance as Max Mayfield in “Stranger Things”, and not just because both pieces of media feature telepathy. While first shown to the audience as a villain, we learn that Grey lost her sister when she was disappeared by the United States Department of Damage Control (DODC), the subject of her attacks throughout the film. Following Grey’s main attack on the DODC building, her & Spider-Man share an emotional exchange of lines that made me so incredibly sorry for her character. Sink’s performance made me become instantly interested in the entire “X-Men” saga, and I am so excited to see Sink in the next “X-Men” film alongside stars like Kit Connor, Inde Naverette, and Adam Driver.
I couldn’t write an entire review on a Spider-Man film without talking about the incomparable Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He truly never fails to impress me, whether it’s his first appearance as the web-slinging hero in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” (2017), or his devastating performance in “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). Holland has always been an incredible performer, and he always brings a depth to Parker than I am obsessed with. I love every film Holland has been in thus far, but both this film & “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) stand out from the rest for me. This film earned a 4½ out of 5 stars in my personal Letterboxd, and I can’t wait to see what else Marvel has in store for everyone’s favorite friendly neighbor!
