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Spider-Man: No Way Home was the talk of the cinematic world ever since Marvel and Sony announced its development. The lead-up to its release set in motion a monstrous level of speculation and excitement for what was to come. The film did not disappoint, shattering box office records at an incredible rate, becoming the first and only billion-dollar movie of 2021.
The brilliant shine of success has not only glimmered within the box office, but within the reception it has received from critics as well, earning a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, trumping most of the films speculated to be within the Best Picture category. However, a particular cloud lingers over Spider-Man: No Way Home, making the journey to a Best Picture nomination a challenge.
Statistically, one would assume that the film has earned a spot in the Best Picture starting line-up, but the shackles of its genre create a pretty uneven playing field. Acclaimed directors entrenched within the Hollywood arena have argued that the comic book-based narrative is not representative of the beauty of cinema. Martin Scorsese, director of The Irishman and other renowned films, compared the Marvel viewing experience to that of a theme park. In an interview with Empire, he disclosed the following, "That's not cinema. Honestly, the closest I can think of them, as well-made as they are, with actors doing the best they can under the circumstances, is theme parks. It isn't the cinema of human beings trying to convey emotional, psychological experiences to another human being." Throughout the history of the Academy Awards, the only film from the genre to earn a nomination in the category was 2018's Black Panther.
The bias centered around comic book-inspired films isn't a secret, limiting its attainment of artistic recognition despite its cultural success. Spider-Man: No Way Home star Tom Holland came to the defense of the genre in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, stating, "You can ask Scorsese 'Would you want to make a Marvel movie?' But he doesn't know what it's like because he's never made one." Holland's point is fair, indicating that the director's lack of perspective and experience weakens the criticism he and others continue to tattoo into the genre's creative direction. "I've made Marvel movies, and I've also made movies that have been in the conversation in the world of the Oscars, and the only difference, really, is one is much more expensive than the other. But the way I break down the character, the way the director etches out the arc of the story and characters — it's all the same, just done on a different scale. So I do think they're real art."
Holland continued with his defense, stating, "When you're making these films, you know that good or bad, millions of people will see them, whereas when you're making a small indie film if it's not very good, no one will watch it, so it comes with different levels of pressure. I mean, you can also ask Benedict Cumberbatch or Robert Downey Jr. or Scarlett Johansson — people who have made the kinds of movies that are 'Oscar-worthy' and also made superhero movies." The genre a film lives within doesn't diminish the quality of the work put forth. Holland's argument centers around an elementary point: art is universal and not solely for a specific type of film.
The Oscar pedigree assembled within the MCU cast is evident and points to the accumulated experience of individuals that know how to make a solid and impactful film. Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy, which reshaped how superhero stories are explored and delivered, fits within a similar category. However, none of the films earned a place within the Best Picture category despite its most revered actor, Heath Ledger, winning the Best Supporting Actor award in 2009. Things have changed throughout the years, with the Academy recognizing the diversity within films and expanding the category from five nominations to ten. The Spider-Man: No Way Home team is optimistic about the Academy's direction but wants the film to be nominated for its artistic quality, not for a ratings boost.
The Academy Awards have recently seen a dip in viewership, with The Game Awards surpassing the ceremonies numbers in 2020. With the buzz Spider-Man: No Way Home has generated, audiences would most certainly flock if the film has a chance to take home the biggest prize of the night. Will the latest Pater Parker adventure make it to the final list of ten? Audiences will have to wait until the nominations come to the surface on February 8, 2022.
Spider-Man: No Way Home is currently playing in theaters.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
