A portal emerges from nowhere, revealing a mysterious silhouette in the distance. At first glance, it may seem to be just a random figure in an alleyway. But that odd, yet familiar, posture along with those large bug-eyes could only belong to one person: Spider-Man. 

Or, maybe two. In the span of only three minutes, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” has somehow put together a crossover—one that was thought to be impossible—between three fan-favorite Spiderman actors from three different studios.

The movie starts right where the prequel, “Far From Home,” left off, during which time Spider-Man’s identity has just been revealed to the public and Peter Parker’s normal life has been ruined. He attempts to solve his dilemma with the help of Doctor Strange’s magic. But, following a series of mishaps, characters from several universes are pulled into Spiderman’s own universe, leaving it to Parker to return everyone to their original reality. 

The movie plays heavily into nostalgia as it presents familiar faces from as far back as 20 years ago, alongside multiple references to earlier films. Popular lines—some of which were made into memes—are re-used, such as Norman Osborn’s line “I’m something of a scientist myself.” As a viewer, it was pleasantly surprising when they casually slipped in allusions to previous movies, adding a level of satisfaction each time I understood one.

Although the various character references and integration of iconic lines may be hard for newer fans to understand, some knowledge concerning more recent Spider-Man films, like “Homecoming” and “Far from Home,” is enough to get you through this film. Previously, Marvel had assembled a team of just Peter, MJ and Ned. However, with the introduction of two new protagonists and five antagonists, the movie is an intricate web of overlapping universes and character backgrounds. Nonetheless, by introducing each character gradually instead of all at once, Marvel manages to create a seamless yet compelling plot that even casual viewers can follow. 

Due to its rather unique storyline, it’s hard to put a finger on which comic, if any, “No Way Home” is based on. One that fits closest to the criteria is the comic “One More Day.” Though this story is well-known by Spider-Man fans, most readers have labeled it as the “worst Spider-Man comic” to exist. Fans claim that the comic contradicted everything the character stood for: using his power for good and taking responsibility for whatever happens. 

Taking inspiration from the base story, the live adaptation amended major plot holes and integrated different characters that were more fitting to the storyline, salvaging an otherwise hopeless comic. The end result was a close-to-flawless story that stuck to the core ideals of our favorite web-head while still following the blueprint of the original plot. The enhancement of the original story is reflected clearly in the movie’s glowing reviews, placing “No Way Home” on top of all Spider-Man movies.

In the comics, when Spider-Man’s identity is revealed, he has to do everything in his power to keep the people around him safe. As the live-action portrayal of this period of Spider-Man’s life, “No Way Home” displays the true, raw consequences of being a hero.