The debate over which live action Spider-Man movie was the best, and in turn which actor played the best Spider-Man, is one that will never be settled. It is also one I never found myself too interested in until Spider-Man: No Way Home came out. If you are one of the three people who has yet to see this box office hit, there will be spoilers ahead.

Spider-Man: No Way Home is truly Tom Holland’s story. To all the Iron Boy Junior haters who claimed Tom’s Peter was nothing without Tony: Look who’s laughing now! Despite there being characters from across the multiverse, the movie manages to put the focus on Tom’s character. This is even more impressive when you factor in the presence of two other beloved Spider-Men. I would like to take this time to dole out another “look who’s laughing now” to all the cynics who didn’t believe Tobey and Andrew would be in it. Anyway, back to the movie review. I will be focusing on the three biggest things that make this movie the best of all the past Spider-Man films: Peter’s growth, the overall plot, and his chemistry with other characters.

To me, it is like the three Tom Holland films have been one big origin story. In Spider-Man: Homecoming we see him struggling to be a hero (he is only 16), spending most of the movie trying to prove to Tony Stark that he is ready to be a hero. In Spider-Man: Far from Home, his story is still tied to Tony Stark as Peter tries to grapple with Tony’s death and how to keep his legacy alive. By Spider-Man: No Way Home, he is no longer living in Tony’s shadow: his identity is out in the open. With a federal investigation on his back and a bunch of multiversal (a term I’m now coining) villains who want him dead, he must learn the true meanings of independence and responsibility. Though he seeks aid from others when it comes to capturing and helping the villains, he never hesitates to put himself in danger or take on the burden of fixing things. He understands this is his fight and that he must fix the problems he has caused.

Next is the overall storyline. The story alone surpasses all the other live action films. After getting a taste of the multiverse from the Loki tv show, we all had high hopes going into this movie, which after WandaVision is never a good idea. Nevertheless, they delivered on all our expectations of seeing past villains, as well as past Spider-Men onscreen (take that Ralph Bohner!). We got a better look into Dr. Strange’s powers, got to see new Spider-Man suits, and got more Spider-Men memes than we could have asked for. Though I believe the movie’s greatness is not reliant on Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield, their presence certainly doesn’t hurt it. Their fight scenes were amazing and brought along many cheers from the audience, which just added to the viewing experience. We also got more Peter, MJ, and Ned content. Their friendship added to the plot’s comedy and the theme of sacrifice/independence.

Finally, Peter’s chemistry with the other characters is fantastic. Like most things in Tom Holland’s trilogy, his relationship with MJ was built up and fully formed by this movie. I didn’t really care much about their relationship in Spider-Man: Far from Home, but in this film, I was fully invested in them. Tom Holland and Zendaya’s chemistry and couple dynamic have made me fall in love with their relationship, which made the ending even sadder. They truly care for each other and go well together. Now for the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the three Spider-Men. The familial dynamic they had was beautiful and hilarious to watch. Tobey was the oldest and wisest, Andrew was the funny and weird middle child, and Tom was the happy younger brother who looks up to his older siblings. Every scene and interaction they had came with good advice for Tom’s Peter and comedic lines. I’m not alone in saying all three of them need to meet up again.

I have watched this film three times and have even seen the bloopers because yes, it is that good. I know this review won’t end the Spider-Man debate because it’s one rooted in nostalgia, but that’s not why I wrote this. The purpose of this review was for me to share my love for this movie because it single-handedly saved the MCU Spider-Man trilogy, in my opinion.