MOVIE REVIEW - Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse: This Is Animated Art In Its Highest Form

RECAP

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters the Spider Society, a team of Spider-People charged with protecting the Multiverse’s very existence. But when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders and must set out on his own to save those he loves most. Anyone can wear the mask – it’s how you wear it that makes you a hero.

Spoiler Level

None-extremely mild

FILM CREDITS & INFO

Title: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse
Motion Picture Rating: PG
Production Company: Sony Pictures Animation
Director(s): Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Writer(s): Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Dave Callaham
Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez
Genre: Action, Otherworld, Superhero
Release Date: 06/02/2023

REVIEW

It’s not an understatement to say that fans of Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse have been waiting for the follow-up movie since its release in 2018. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is one of (if not the top) of the year’s most anticipated movies (and not just animated movies – any movie). But does the movie live up to everyone’s hype and expectations, given that almost 5 years have passed between the first and second movie?

Well, Spidey-fans – this movie exceeds all of that. This is animated art and storytelling in its highest form.

The storytelling of this movie is downright amazing. It packs in so many emotional punches in many different ways that one experiences it on so many levels. There are moments that hit watchers as an outside viewer looking in; there are moments in the story where one empathizes with the characters, especially Miles Morales, Gwen Stacy, Peter B. Parker, and Miguel O’Hara. Into The Spider-Verse was a movie that centered on Miles Morales and sets up his origin story; Across The Spider-Verse expands the narrative to include Gwen Stacy and flips everything that they know about the Spider-Verse on their heads.

This is a film that necessitates watching it multiple times to appreciate it fully. Watching it for the first time, the film may feel a little bit slow as it sets up the origin story of Spider-Gwen which takes about 10 minutes to tell before the title scene appears on the screen. However, by the time the movie ends, viewers understand how critical those opening minutes were for the character development of Gwen Stacy, as well as the overall story.

The overall theme of the movie is how one defines themselves. Where the first film succeeded in telling an amazing story about self-confidence, this movie delivers on telling a story about one’s character when fate and the odds are against you. While Miles struggles and fights with this idea, the process inspires other Spider-heroes, which changes the course of the movie by the end (which leaves on a cliffhanger that sets up for the third movie, Spider-Man: Beyond The Spider-Verse).

Lastly, the audience will appreciate so many details and Easter eggs that are provided in this movie. There are almost too many to notice in one sitting, which is another reason why this movie is one that must be watched a second and third time (and beyond).

Just like its predecessor, one of the most jaw-dropping features of this film is its art. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse won an Oscar for “Best Animated Feature,” one of the reasons being its unique animation style, blending computer graphics and hand-drawn art. This film somehow takes it even further, using animation as more expressive art than the first film. Starting with the opening sequence, the art style surrounding Gwen is unlike anything we’ve seen before in a Spider-Man film or in most animations. The art goes through a variety of styles that at first could seem distracting but as the story moves on, it’s clear how the art style was chosen specifically to help tell the story and express the emotion of what’s going on in the movie. The film also stays true to the comic book art expression that so many loved from the first movie, but it definitely explores how to use art as a way to tell a story differently that artists and non-artists alike will absolutely love and appreciate.

The voice talent was spectacular. With returners Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), Hailee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), and Jake Johnson (Peter B. Parker) and newcomers Oscar Isaac (Miguel O’Hara), Issa Rae (Jessica Drew), and Andy Samberg (Ben Reilly), the cast did a wonderful job portraying the characters and giving them their own voice (and not just celebrities talking into a microphone). The standout talent and character from this film, however, is Daniel Kaluuya (Hobart Brown, “Spider-Punk”). This character will become an audience favorite because of his persona, character, art style, and the voice behind the character in making an intelligent, anti-establishment “fight-the-man” character aspirational.

As wonderful as this movie is, there are some downfalls. Where the first film was successful for its soundtrack, this film does not have any songs that stand out the same way. The score was wonderful, however, but coming on the heels of a movie that had a popular soundtrack with songs like Sunflower and What’s Up Danger, this one does not seem to follow through on that expectation at the moment.

The other challenge for this series is that it’s another multiverse film. Currently, the MCU and DC Cinematic Universe are doing multiversal stories with their films, so this falls under what may feel like an oversaturated theme. However, the first film was one of the first to dive into a multiverse story prior to these (with some exceptions), and this film does a good job of giving fan service with the multiverse (with some great cameos that many were not expecting) but at the same time using it as a backdrop instead of the focus of the story. It will need to stand out from the other multiversal stories, but so far it seems to be leading that charge.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Although the initial start of the film may feel slow, by the conclusion of the film you appreciate the story as a whole. This is the best Spider-Man movie, the best comic book movie, the best-animated movie that has been created.

Spider-Man Across The Spider-verse is now playing in theaters only.