Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse took me by surprise in 2018 and became not only my favourite superhero film ever, but one of my all-time favourite films. Every single element of it meshed so perfectly, from the imaginative story, compelling characters, incredible soundtrack, and unique visual style. I was so happy to hear that it was getting a sequel, because I genuinely was desperate for more in a way few films have ever made me feel. So, the announcement of a two-part sequel not only made me leap with joy, but filled me with dread. What if it was a fluke? What if the sequels couldn’t live up to the original? It brings me great pleasure to say that Across the Spider-Verse has also secured a spot in my all-time favourite films list.
Miles Morales (Shamiek Moore) has been his universe’s one and only Spider-Man for a year and a half. Whilst he has improved on his crime fighting, he’s struggling at school, and in turn it’s created a rift with his parents.
When Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) re-emerges from the multiverse, she tells Miles about her exploits as part of a crack team of Spider-people. Miles wants a piece of the action, but Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) is apprehensive, especially due to the appearance of a new villain, The Spot (Jason Schwartzman).
I had high hopes for Across the Spider-Verse, but honestly I didn’t expect the film to break through those expectations in the way it did. It takes almost everything that was great about the first film and just doubles down on it. It’s a Spider-Man nerd’s dream come true, seeing so many variations of the character hit the big screen for the first time. Whilst Into the Spider-Verse introduced fans to variants such as Gwen Stacey’s Spider-Woman, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Peter Porker, Across the Soider-Verse blows all of that out of the water by showcasing hundreds of spider-people, some well-known and some so niche that even a seasoned Spidey veteran like myself didn’t recognise. Few are given anything beyond a fleeting cameo, but it’s great to see the concept of a multiverse finally being put to good use in a superhero film.
Miles Morales (Shamiek Moore) has been his universe’s one and only Spider-Man for a year and a half. Whilst he has improved on his crime fighting, he’s struggling at school, and in turn it’s created a rift with his parents.
When Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) re-emerges from the multiverse, she tells Miles about her exploits as part of a crack team of Spider-people. Miles wants a piece of the action, but Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) is apprehensive, especially due to the appearance of a new villain, The Spot (Jason Schwartzman).
I had high hopes for Across the Spider-Verse, but honestly I didn’t expect the film to break through those expectations in the way it did. It takes almost everything that was great about the first film and just doubles down on it. It’s a Spider-Man nerd’s dream come true, seeing so many variations of the character hit the big screen for the first time. Whilst Into the Spider-Verse introduced fans to variants such as Gwen Stacey’s Spider-Woman, Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Peter Porker, Across the Soider-Verse blows all of that out of the water by showcasing hundreds of spider-people, some well-known and some so niche that even a seasoned Spidey veteran like myself didn’t recognise. Few are given anything beyond a fleeting cameo, but it’s great to see the concept of a multiverse finally being put to good use in a superhero film.
I won’t detail the story’s secrets here, but it’s a great continuation of what Into the Spider-Verse started, and the story really allows the characters of Miles and Gwen take centre stage to drive the plot. Miles feels like he’s outgrown Brooklyn, he wants to see new places and meet new people. But his parents are too afraid to let go of their son and are overbearing to the point of trying to micromanage his life. He misses Gwen and Peter because they’re the only people who understood what he was going through, but he’s determined to become a scientist to try and create ways of inter-dimensional travel so that he may be able to reconnect with them.
Gwen meanwhile gets a hefty amount of screen-time, almost as much as Miles. We get to explore her backstory thoroughly, seeing how her Peter died, and the strain that has put on her relationships.
A big theme of Across the Spider-Verse is forging your own path, creating your own destiny, and the way that Spider-Man story cliche’s are woven into that is really refreshing. It takes elements of what Spider-Man: No Way Home was trying to do but expands on it in truly spectacular ways.
The supporting cast of Spider-people this time around consist of the aforementioned Miguel, who’s the head of this league of Spider-people. Then there’s the return of Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), now with daughter in tow as he has taken up the mantle of fatherhood. Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) who acts as a kind of mentor to Gwen. Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni), an Indian Spider-Man who like Miles is new to the world of crime fighting; and finally, Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya), a punk-rock Spider-Man who wants to stick it to the man and bring down capitalism.
They’re all given more depth than the likes of Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Peter Porker we’re in the previous film, but none are given particularly extensive character development as the film is so focused on Miles & Gwen.
Gwen meanwhile gets a hefty amount of screen-time, almost as much as Miles. We get to explore her backstory thoroughly, seeing how her Peter died, and the strain that has put on her relationships.
A big theme of Across the Spider-Verse is forging your own path, creating your own destiny, and the way that Spider-Man story cliche’s are woven into that is really refreshing. It takes elements of what Spider-Man: No Way Home was trying to do but expands on it in truly spectacular ways.
The supporting cast of Spider-people this time around consist of the aforementioned Miguel, who’s the head of this league of Spider-people. Then there’s the return of Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), now with daughter in tow as he has taken up the mantle of fatherhood. Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) who acts as a kind of mentor to Gwen. Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni), an Indian Spider-Man who like Miles is new to the world of crime fighting; and finally, Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya), a punk-rock Spider-Man who wants to stick it to the man and bring down capitalism.
They’re all given more depth than the likes of Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Peter Porker we’re in the previous film, but none are given particularly extensive character development as the film is so focused on Miles & Gwen.
One of the biggest draws of Into the Spider-Verse was the unique visual style. It employed multiple different art styles within a single frame to produce something that truly pushed the boundaries of animation forwards. Across the Spider-Verse pushes those boundaries even further by introducing multiple new animation styles into the mix, having even more characters that move at different frame rate speeds, as well as even introducing a handful of live action elements. It’s not just the characters that get new styles of animation, because for the first time we get to see universes outside of Miles’ own. Each world has a distinct visual style, with Gwen’s being a favourite of mine appearing like a watercolour painting, with the colour dripping down the frame and it being in an ever-shifting flux of colour based on her emotions. I have never seen a film as visually complex as Across the Spider-Verse, pushing the boundaries of animation even further than before. I genuinely sat there in awe at what the artists have achieved with this film, and it’s clear as day that every single frame was given so much love and attention to detail. There’s so much to see, and thanks to the breakneck pace of the film it’s the kind of thing that you’ll always be finding something new, a hidden visual gag, or a character you hadn’t spotted before.
The only area of the film that I feel doesn’t quite live up to the original film is the soundtrack. Both Spider-Verse films utilise original songs from big-name artists, but Into the Spider-Verse’s felt grander and more memorable with awesome tracks like Post Malone’s ‘Sunflower’, Jaden Smith’s ‘Way Up’, and Lil Wayne & Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Scared of the Dark’. There are no songs that particularly stood out to me in Across the Spider-Verse, and that is a shame because music was such an integral part of the first film. It’s not a dealbreaker because every other part of the film is arguably stronger than the original, but I must admit I was somewhat sad to see the film lacking the same kind of heartbeat provided by the pumping soundtrack.
The only area of the film that I feel doesn’t quite live up to the original film is the soundtrack. Both Spider-Verse films utilise original songs from big-name artists, but Into the Spider-Verse’s felt grander and more memorable with awesome tracks like Post Malone’s ‘Sunflower’, Jaden Smith’s ‘Way Up’, and Lil Wayne & Ty Dolla $ign’s ‘Scared of the Dark’. There are no songs that particularly stood out to me in Across the Spider-Verse, and that is a shame because music was such an integral part of the first film. It’s not a dealbreaker because every other part of the film is arguably stronger than the original, but I must admit I was somewhat sad to see the film lacking the same kind of heartbeat provided by the pumping soundtrack.
Because the film is a ‘part one’ of sorts, with ‘part two’, Beyond the Spider-Verse, coming next year, the film does end on a massive cliff-hanger, and you could argue that it ends just as things get really interesting. I think that does a disservice to the rest of the film to say that it only gets going at the end, because there really is just so much happening, but I think the film manages to build momentum up so well for this nail biting finale only for it to be pulled out of reach when the penny drops as to the reality of the situation the characters now face. If you go into the film expecting a complete story, you’re not going to get one. It does have emotional payoff for a lot of the sub-plots that are happening, but as for the central narrative driving the adventure, you’re only getting half of the story here. As long as you’re aware of that, which I was, then I think you’ll still have a great time. But I could see it being a turn off for those unaware of that.
Across the Spider-Verse is another triumph of animated filmmaking from the folks at Sony Pictures Animation. This took all my expectations and blew them out of the water, and I can’t wait to see it again. If you weren’t keen on the first film then I don’t think Across the Spider-Verse will do anything to change your mind, but if you did enjoy it then rest assured that it really does live up to the impossible expectations set by that first film, which in this day and age is a rarity. One review I read stated that it was the best sequel since Empire Strikes Back, and you know what, I'm inclined to agree with that.
The best animated film of the decade so far, and has easily worked its way into one of my favourite films of all time.
Across the Spider-Verse is another triumph of animated filmmaking from the folks at Sony Pictures Animation. This took all my expectations and blew them out of the water, and I can’t wait to see it again. If you weren’t keen on the first film then I don’t think Across the Spider-Verse will do anything to change your mind, but if you did enjoy it then rest assured that it really does live up to the impossible expectations set by that first film, which in this day and age is a rarity. One review I read stated that it was the best sequel since Empire Strikes Back, and you know what, I'm inclined to agree with that.
The best animated film of the decade so far, and has easily worked its way into one of my favourite films of all time.