The Soundtrack Space: Spider-Man No Way Home

Spider-Man: No Way Home was an exciting moment in cinema history, as (spoiler alert!) three Spider-Man actors appeared on our screens at the same time. This film was highly anticipated, providing exactly what the fans wanted from the franchise. Michael Gacchino’s score conveys the high stakes and emotional moments of the film.

No Way Home opens with a track titled ‘Intro to Fake News’, which sets the mood for this entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We follow Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man facing the consequences of his identity being released to the world. This opening track conveys the threatening nature of Peter’s position at this point. With high-pitched, eerie strings and a crescendo of drums, the tone of the film is set. The audience is already left feeling off balance as the tone of the opening is noticeably different from the other two Holland Spider-Man entries.

‘Damage Control’ resembles the music used in the other Holland Spider-Man movie

This tone continues in the track ‘World’s Worst Friendly Neighbour’. Giacchino introduces a steady pace through the use of drums that already sounds threatening. This feeling is heightened through out-of-tune electronic percussion sounds. It is an uncomfortable soundscape that crescendos up to the end.

‘Damage Control’ resembles the music used in the other Holland Spider-Man movies. There is a sense of pace and purpose to this piece. The Spider-Man motif is introduced. It is almost given a militaristic feel through the use of a constant drum rhythm. This is offset with electric guitar riffs, and occasional trumpet sounds inject the piece with danger.

‘All Spell Breaks Lose’ soundtracks the moment where Doctor Strange casts the spell to make the world forget Peter’s identity, but the spell backfires and allows for villains from other universes to enter this one. Giacchino uses whimsical bells and wind instruments to reflect Strange’s magic. This crescendos into a dramatic conclusion when the spell gets out of control and strange electronic sounds are utilised to demonstrate the disruption to order.

It blossoms into a beautiful and emotional melody, capturing the sadness of this scene and the significance this moment will have for Peter’s storyline

Peter’s life gets turned upside down due to these new unwelcome visitors. ‘Otto Trouble’ introduces this new threat as it opens with an uncomfortable high-pitched violin. Giacchino uses brass and frantic strings to reflect the chaos of the fight between Peter and Otto Octavius.

‘No Good Deed’ continues this chaotic strain, opening with a spiralling string melody. Giacchino uses an uncomfortable mixture of instruments to reflect the danger Peter is in. The strings add pace and, combined with consistent drums, makes for a piece worthy of a dramatic action sequence. The ending is suspenseful as the audience knows something terrible is going to happen.

My favourite piece from Giacchino’s score is ‘Exit Through the Lobby’. This is the heartbreaking scene where Peter discovers that Aunt May is fatally wounded. It opens quietly with a soft, simple piano melody, before a melancholic violin accompaniment is introduced. It blossoms into a beautiful and emotional melody, capturing the sadness of this scene and the significance this moment will have for Peter’s storyline moving forwards. Giacchino pulls back at the end of the piece, using the same simple piano melody as before and demonstrating the effectiveness of an understated composition.

Giacchino’s score for No Way Home is a masterpiece of a superhero soundtrack

‘Forget Me Knots’ opens with a soft piano version of the Spider-Man motif. It captures the mood of the ending of No Way Home, where Peter realises that in order to resolve the multiverse dilemma, everyone, including his friends, must forget he exists. It is an emotional piece, utilising the motif taken from ‘Exit Through the Lobby’ to represent Peter’s sacrifice. It swells into a magnificent, cinematic melody, using choral sounds to increase the dramatic feel.

The score for the end credits is titled ‘Arachnoverture’. As with other end credits music, the piece combines snippets from the tracks that have featured throughout the film. The title combines ‘arachnid’ with ‘overture’. An overture is traditionally a piece of music played at the beginning of an opera or ballet. It is significant that Giacchino’s end credits are given this name, as it suggests that this is just the beginning of the next chapter for Holland’s Spider-Man.

Giacchino’s score for No Way Home is a masterpiece of a superhero soundtrack. It provides the basis for tense action sequences, as well as enhancing emotional scenes. If Giacchino stays on with Holland’s Spider-Man franchise, I have no doubt that the next soundtrack will be equally brilliant.