Spider-Man: Far From Home (12A)
Directed by Jon Watts
 

AFTER the emotional roller-coaster ride that was Avengers: End Game, this new lighter-hearted Spider-Man sequel is  fun entertainment.

It provides a recap at the beginning to the events in the last Avengers film, with a hilarious over-the-top “in memoriam” montage and an explanation as to how people disappeared and then reappeared without warning five years later in what was dubbed “the blip.”

It sets the tone for what follows, with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) — reeling from the loss of his mentor and father figure Tony Stark — deciding to take a break from his superhero duties and go on a school trip to Europe.

There he plans to win the heart of MJ (Zendaya) with an elaborate romantic gesture but unfortunately he has stiff competition from the gawky tween turned ripped-and-handsome Brad (Remy Hii) in the five years following the Thanos snap.

He also learns from Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) that superheroes can’t take a holiday when he calls him back into action to team up with newcomer Quentin Beck/Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) —who’s from an alternate universe Earth — to defeat the elementals, alien monsters who can wield earth, wind, fire and water.

The Euro trip takes Parker and his friends to Venice, Prague and then London and in each one he is forced to battle the mythological creatures in visually mesmerising action sequences.

Holland shows himself to be the perfect Spidey, imbuing him with a refreshing cheeky-chappie charm and an adorable teenage geekiness and awkwardness.

With her wonderfully blunt and cutting comebacks, Zendaya is outstanding as the odd and scary MJ and Jacob Batalon delivers some hilarious repartees as Parker’s BFF Ned.

Gyllenhaal clearly has a blast, going all out as Mysterio in a standout performance. Comic-book fans will know where his character arc is heading but I won’t spoil it for those who don’t.

Director Jon Watts’s action-packed sequences and moments of light relief explore the more serious phenomenon of fake news and how you can’t believe everything you see or hear.

It is definitely worth staying for the two post-credit scenes at the end, which deliver the jaw-dropping twists of the film.

Far From Home is a welcome antidote to End Game and Holland is a safe pair of hands as Spidey. But I hope the Marvel creators follow Parker’s example and take a much-needed break.