‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ Review
Features the voices of: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Andy Samberg, Daniel Kaluuya, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hahn, Donald Glover, J.K. Simmons | Written by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Dave Callaham | Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Spider-Man stories have been on our screens for over two decades now. In that time we’ve seen plenty of villains, sidekicks, and adventures, including multiverse crossovers. So, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse doesn’t sound like it can offer anything new or exciting, it sounds like a concept we’ve seen the MCU dive deep into in the last few years. What Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse does is blow any of those Spider-Man stories and multiverse stories out the window, bringing the most exciting, original, and fresh superhero movie since the first instalment (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). This latest instalment shows these films are not only groundbreaking achievements in animation and superhero filmmaking but all filmmaking.
There are moments in animation history, milestones, that will be remembered forever. Those huge steps came in films like Snow White and Toy Story, now Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse adds to the milestones of animation. No film I can remember in the world of animation has perhaps ever looked this good, this unique, and bursting with this much creativity. Every world we see, and every character we meet feels different. It started with 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, a film that felt like an earthquake to the animated landscape, one that changed the foundations forever. With new films such as the animated Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem coming soon, that seem to share a similar animation style to Spider-Verse, and even recent films such as Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, it seems everyone wants to jump on the Spider-Verse hype train.
The animation landscape is changing and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is at the front and centre of that change, it started that change and now is continuing to drive it forward. There’s no doubt the film will need multiple viewings to get a true sense of just how groundbreaking and magical the animation is. The animation is just one of the many brilliant pieces in this film, but as with the first instalment, the true magic of this film is with its characters and heart.
Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) returns after his multiverse adventure 5 years ago. This time he catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When secrets and truths are revealed Miles must take control of his own story and once again save the multiverse. It’s Miles and the characters he interacts with, and the ones who are a part of his life that give such much life to this world, or to these worlds. The creators own this story feel as if they truly understand Spider-Man, all versions of him. They understand what makes the character so special for so many people, of different ages, races, cultures, and genders. Spider-Man captures the struggle so many go through, the balance of life and the struggle of keeping on top of everything while trying to find your place in the world. It’s a story that connects so many people and here it showcases that struggle brilliantly. For years Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man 2 was the pinnacle on-screen depiction of that struggle, but now I truly believe this version of Spider-Man is the best version of the character we’ve ever had on screen.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse captures themes and ideas that are essential to Spider-Man and creates the ultimate belief that anyone can wear the mask. It doesn’t matter who you are, a hero can come from anywhere. The team behind this multiverse adventure have done it again in creating one of the best superhero movies of all time. There’s so much heart and love wrapped up in this film, but still all the right action and comedy beats you’d expect from a Spider-Man film to keep you entertained for the entire run time.
See Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse as soon as you can, as fast as you can, and as much as you can. They’ll be few films that reach the level of cinematic passion and complex artistry that Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has. It’s no doubt the best superhero film we’ve had since the first instalment and deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.
***** 5/5
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is in cinemas now.
