Film Opening Breakdown (Extended): Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

The Spider-Man trilogy (Sony/Marvel) has to be one of my favorite superhero trilogies of all time, with all three films perfectly intertwined with each other as well as the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. The opening of Spider-Man: No Way Home is one I find to be a masterpiece for people of all ages, not classically but contemporarily. So let's jump into it!

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Director: Jon Watts

Cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, and more

Studios: Sony/Marvel, Columbia Pictures, Pascal Pictures

Released: 2021

A bit of context: the opening scene immediately follows the post-credit scene of the 2nd installment, Spider-Man: Far From Home, where Peter and MJ swing to Times Square. They find, airing on live television, a video from the now-dead Mysterio (the villain of the film played by Jake Gyllenhaal) who, as his last move, reveals Spider-Man's identity as Peter Parker (played by Tom Holland) to the world. This was the ultimate cliffhanger for Spider-Man fans around the globe, leaving them in shock and awe and of course, excitement for the next installment in the franchise. This film is about the immediate aftermath of Peter's identity being revealed and him becoming the most targeted person on the globe. After struggling with his newfound fame he goes to Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) for a spell to erase his secret identity from people's memories. The spell goes wrong, calling all villains from alternate dimensions (previous Spider-Man franchises) to Peter's dimension, creating even more of a problem for our hero, forcing him to grow up and make some tough decisions.

The opening begins with the main focus of the audience brought to the sound. It serves as a recap of sorts for audiences and brings the dialogue from the previous film's post-credit scene atop the title cards for the film studios (Sony & Marvel Studios). We can compare it to a Sound-Bridge but almost reversed, where they don't show the previous scene, but let the sound play with the addition of ominous music indicating severe trouble. After the main Marvel Studios title card plays, the synchronous sound of Mysterio's recording simultaneously glitches with the title card into a black screen, then again to the actual scene of the recording, after which the film properly begins.

The first shot after Mysterio's recording is a push in of Peter's reaction, with diegetic sound of the crowd in the background (and of course, the car's honk over his cuss word). Then follows a series of well thought-out shots like the Wide shot of Peter reacting to the screen (following the Rule of Thirds) and the high-angle shot of MJ in the crowd, isolating them and rendering them powerless against the crowd's judgement and attention. They also use techniques and shots like the tracking shot as Peter and MJ escape, and a high-angle wide tilt shot of the crowd surrounding the two. For the mid-shots of them surrounded, the filmmaker uses a good hand-held shot technique allowing the camera to be shaky therefore all-the-more dramatic.

Wide Shot (w/ Rule of Thirds)

High Angle Shot

High Angle Wide Shot

Mid Dirty Two-Shot

Throughout this sequence you can hear J. Jonah Jameson Jr.'s newscasting in the background, and the ambient sound paired with continuity editing and regular cuts. But once Peter and MJ escape the shots are shaky mid shots with some over-the-shoulder, with her in his arms swinging through the city. Not much can be said about camera techniques other than this as the scene uses mostly Visual Effects. But even with that, they have employed the use of Long Shots, Wide Shots, Tracking shots, the Rule of Thirds, etc.

The music slowly transitions from dangerous and eerie to adventurous and almost fun and chaotic. Throughout the sequence the characters from the trilogy are reintroduced, like with Peter’s best friend Ned Leeds on Facetime, as he lands on the bridge with MJ. We can assume that a crane shot was used in that sequence, along with a point-of view shot from the cable cars and a wide aerial shot of the two. All the different shot techniques used are to show the audience and make them feel how exposed Peter and MJ are now that his identity is revealed. He, and all the people he love have become targets of the press, the police and the public. Another character is introduced in the next few shots; Flash (Peter’s bully/archnemesis in school). He is shown reacting to Spiderman’s identity in a comedic full shot of the two swinging into the sewer right under his nose.

Then comes the final scene of the opening which takes place in Peter's apartment, featuring his Aunt May and friend Happy Hogan:

This sequence opens with mid, over-the-shoulder shots using the Shot-Reverse shot editing technique for the very normal conversation between May and Happy about their relationship, which is paused when they hear Peter come into his room. Once Happy comes back inside the apartment, the hand-held long take begins and continues till the end of the sequence. This makes it visually shaky and creates a sense of chaos and confusion brilliantly, via the setting (it being a messy house), the overlapping awkward dialogues and cross-talk between the characters, fast paced movements, costumes (like Peter's oversized shirt and briefs making it more natural), Whip-pan techniques and constant interruptions. The framing is loose and in an open form; it’s natural and unstructured with characters having room to move around. Character Proxemics play a role in making the scene awkward, with MJ and Peter at intimate distances in his room panicking over the day’s events but Aunt May misunderstanding the situation. The hand-held shots and Whip Pan techniques allow the audience to be immersed in the situation, making them as much of a part in the sequence as MJ or Peter.

Full over-the-shoulder two shot

 The characters frantically move to the living room where they learn of the news that Peter's identity was revealed via the television, toward which all the characters look drawing the audience's attention to its headline. The long take (1m 30s long) ends with May, Happy, Peter and  MJ next to the window cutting to an aerial shot of their apartment building. This is where the opening of the film ends. I consider this a great film opening – it begins with an inciting incident and takes the audience on a chaotic and messy journey through Brooklyn, and through Peter’s emotions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww_Vz7-buOk

So that was my take on the opening of Spider-Man: No Way Home. I thoroughly enjoyed it as the camera work, editing, sound and mise-en-scene all combined in the best way to create a visually entertaining opening. So, I'll see you in the next one, reader!