Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse Movie Review

Spider-Man’s live action run has achieved great success through the years, but when the superhero entered the computer animation scene in 2018, an exciting new frontier emerged. At a time where many animated releases are playing it safe or settling into predictable territory, Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse spins up a fantastic tale that delivers far more than pretty aesthetics and colours.

Some time after the original, the destruction of the Alchemax Collider has created a new villain; The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) is able to increase his powers by travelling to other dimensions, quickly rising from a petty thief to a gargantuan threat. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Gwen Stacey and other iterations of Spider-Man wage a desperate battle to protect the multiverse that quickly complicates both allegiances and morals. Following a prologue which establishes a key emotional anchor point, Across the Spiderverse never lets up; the character development and exposition happens on the fly during the action and crucial moments are given ample room to breath. Into The Spiderverse was a fairly light-hearted and easy-going affair, a reasonable introduction to the setting; this entry goes a step further. The use of a meta-narrative complements both the narrative and the original comic book source material; take Uncle Ben’s death for example. Many fans are well versed with this key event in Spider-Man’s origin story. Countless characters tell Miles that he cannot change the canon, but he struggles against them regardless; this drastically raises the stakes, putting the protagonist at odds with his own allies. It’s also a rare release that successfully resolves character arcs while setting up an even greater conflict to come. This could be the very best story seen from the webhead in his long line of appearances.

The characters have also expanded; as they go up against greater adversity, the theme of family is a constant presence. Miles and Gwen have trouble living up to the expectations of their parents and there are several scenes that highlight this dynamic; this ensures that the dramatic elements don’t get lost in the fight scenes. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld progress these characters massively, showing off their internal turmoil at every turn. Returning faces like Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) have their own arguments to share, but the newcomers are even more detailed. Without giving anything away, Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) has a great dynamic with Miles and you may find yourself buying into his motives as the film goes on. The Spot does move to the background in the final act, but Jason Schwartzman still delivers an entertaining performance that swings between light humour. Through strong and simple characterisation, this sequel is always putting the characters through challenges that will keep the audience invested.

Into The Spiderverse was already a stunning production; the sequel is even more ambitious with every scene combining atmosphere, music and computer animation in a superb concoction. The action is flashy and energetic, but this time it also blends multiple animation styles together; an early appearance from a Renaissance version of the vulture is the perfect setup; it showcases the artistic focus while cluing the audience in to other multiverse elements that will enter the picture. When Miles goes to a futuristic hub with hundreds of different Spider-Men, the film really cranks up the imagination with so many iterations clashing together. The night time sequences are particularly impressive with glowing neon signs and dazzling rain effects. Arguably the best aspect is the soundtrack, a phenomenal, rip-roaring package that adapts to every dimension and tone. We have an Indian twang in one action scene and at key moments, the music will slow down, echoing in the background as the more heartfelt conversations seep in. This version of Spider-Man is in a class of its own, beating out every other animated film in recent years.

Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse is an absolute blast; as a sequel, it goes deeper and bolder while keeping up its breakneck speed. As an animated creation, the talent on display is unbelievable, crafting one of the best looking movies of the year. You’ll be doing yourself a great disservice if you skip over this release.

Rating: 4.5/5 Stars (Brilliant)