Let me be upfront; Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is a masterpiece. It’s one of the best Spider-Man movies, one of the best superhero movies, and straight up one of the best animated movies of all time, in my opinion. The film not only managed to do justice to one of the most beloved superheroes of all time, but it also managed to craft an animated experience that remains compelling and exciting even if you only had the smallest inkling of Spider-Man’s history. It’s a gorgeous movie whose slower frame rate style of animation created a perfect translation of the comic book style to screen, so much so that other films have started following suit. On top of that it’s hilarious, action packed, emotional and mature enough that any age can have a good time with it. It’s rare I call a movie perfect, but this sure as hell comes close. But of course perfection is often lightning in a bottle, and having a follow up film be anywhere close to the original is nothing short of a monumental task. Yet there’s few producers I trust more than Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the brains behind some of the best comedy and animated films of the past decade, so I wasn’t exactly as worried as I could’ve been. And goddamn ladies and gentlemen, they’ve done it again.

Across the Spiderverse is absolutely phenomenal, building upon the groundwork of the original and going absolutely nuts with its style and story. While this may be yet another multiverse story, it’s linked so closely to what makes Spider-Man a great hero that it manages to stand out among the films in its own lane and beyond. The cast is excellent, delivering both silly laughs and grounded emotional moments that better flesh out our main characters while also bringing in a web of new supporting characters that range from impactful to blink and you’ll miss it cameos. And of course, the animation is cranked up to 11, integrating a wide variety of new styles and techniques that gives each character, location and scene its own identity while managing to stun you with the masterwork of skill on display here. At times it may feel a bit overwhelming and it does suffer slightly from being the first of a 2 part film, yet for a diehard Spider-Man fan, I’m blown away in all the best ways. 

Across the Spider-Verse picks up a little over a year after we left Miles Morales, a newer Spider-Man still trying to find balance in his double life. The emergence of a time and space hopping super villain called the Spot leads Miles to once again deal with the inhabitants of the multiverse, including old friends and an entire society of Spider-people, which puts him into conflict with their leader, a futuristic Spider-Man named Miguel O’Hara, when Miles tries to do things outside of the Spider-Man way. 

The character work here is fantastic, both from a writing and acting standpoint. Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales is still as endearing and relatable as ever, whose put into a lot of tough, emotional spots as he adapts to being both a hero, a student, and a son. Miles’ natural growth from the first film is definitely noticeable, and it’s a blast to watch him come into his own identity, which plays into a big chunk of the movie’s themes, which I’ll get into later. But this isn’t just Mile’s story, as Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen aka Spider-Woman is given a lot more backstory and room to pave her own tale of overcoming hardships. Narratively, I think Gwen was the standout for me, as her path to dealing with past trauma and doing what you know is the right thing was quite compelling and really sold the character for me. Then of course there’s the hundreds upon hundreds of Spider-people present in the film that can’t all be possibly talked about. Perhaps the most prominent newcomer is Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara, a militant, futuristic Spider-Man struggling to hold the Multiverse together. Miguel’s hard ass demeanor is a stark contrast to the jokier side of the Spider-Man character we’ve grown accustomed to, giving him believable motives and apparent flaws that allows him to perfectly contrast against Miles. He’s a firm believer that very specific things make someone a Spider-Man, and when Miles’ entire existence challenges that, it leads to all Hell breaking loose. He technically takes on the role of antagonist halfway through the film, where his actions manage to remain both questionable yet understandable for someone in his position. Miles’ mentor Peter B. Parker also returns in an albeit smaller role, but his presence as an imperfect but well-meaning guide is still warmly received due in no small part to Jake Johnson’s endearing performance. 

As for the rest of the Spider-people, we get a few new additions to the cast including Ben Reilly, Spider-Byte, Jessica Drew, and my favorite, Spider-Punk, a fascist hating rebel who is simply too cool for words, or for one type of animation apparently, as he has one of the most interesting and intricate designs in the whole movie.Obviously, some of these characters get a bit more play than others. This movie is stuffed with Spider cameos ranging from out there additions like Spider-Man from the Playstation games to really out there like a Spider-T-Rex. There’s even some rather surprising cameos from beyond the world of animation that I won’t spoil, but was genuinely shocked and surprised to see. The last character I want to touch on for now is the Spot, a goofy, bumbling villain that quickly turns into a sinister, universe-level threat. I do wish we could’ve gotten more of him here, but I like where the film takes him and I can’t wait to see how his story continues. 

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of this film is the wide range of animation styles on display across the 2 hour runtime, making each new location and character we come across feel unique and a part of a different realized world. We of course get the familiar Spider-verse style in Miles’ universe, which continues to embrace the comic book-in-motion aesthetic introduced in the first film, complete with little visual subtleties that make even the most minor motions stylish and impactful. Then there’s Gwen’s dimension, where the environments are displayed as beautiful watercolor backdrops that melt, bleed and change color based on the emotions of the scene. Miguel’s city of 2099’s Nueve York contains the angular, futuristic designs you’d expect, while Spider-Man India’s Munbattan is reflective of 70’s era Indian comics, giving the city an almost paper appearance. Even when we aren’t in a new world, some characters are given the unique artstyle treatment to their designs, and nowhere is that more apparent than with Spider-Punk. He has this rock and roll magazine cutout design that looks rough around the edges and glued on, obviously emphasizing the PUNK in Spider-Punk. But the animation team even took it one step further by animating parts of his outfit in different frame rates to make him one of the most unique looking characters in the film. The visual style is so in your face and varied at times that it can be hard to take in all at once. Yet the film isn’t just style splashed all over the place. There’s intelligent composition at work here that keeps every action set piece visually cohesive and digestible enough, but if you’re looking to catch every visual joke or cameo the film throws at you, you might need like three more watch throughs to accomplish that.

While the film is heavy on action, it still gives time to the slower, quieter moments that allow characters like Miles and Gwen to really connect with the audience. Occasionally it feels like the pacing grinds to a halt with the scenes, but I believe they’re pivotal to understanding the dilemmas and hardships our characters experience that can’t be fixed with punching and webbing. Mile’s rocky relationship with his parents is both relatable and grounded, because you don’t really need spider powers to find difficulty in talking to your parents about stress and relationships. Topics like expectations and doing things the way they’ve always been done are prevalent throughout, even tying into Spider-Man mythology specifically. If you’re familiar with the lore of Spider-Man and many of his alternate versions, you’ll know the path to great power and responsibility is often paved with tragedy and heartbreak. The film spins this into a form of commentary towards the sometimes repetitive nature of comics that ties into what makes Miles stand out, embracing the idea that a hero can come from anywhere and isn’t always cut from the same cloth as their predecessors. Admittedly the way the film approaches this idea can feel a bit silly and convoluted, but the underlying message does manage to come through despite it. 

If I’m being honest, my serious critiques are few and far between here, at least after an initial viewing. The Spider Society as a whole can sometimes feel a bit too forced, especially when you stop to think about how Peter Parker, who makes up a good chunk of the Spider-variants, would probably never go along with the values that Miguel holds for the group. I also felt as though the soundtrack this time around didn’t have the same punch to it as the first. It’s still great, don’t get me wrong, but there just aren’t really any memorable integrations with scenes. Sunflower. The Prowler’s Theme. What’s Up Danger. Those moments stuck with me the minute after I experienced them, but nothing like that really happens musically here. The film can also feel like two different stories at times, with the conflict of the first half all but disappearing in the 2nd half, and while it technically ties into what’s going on, that story is never really brought to a satisfying conclusion. But, like I said, this is but part 1 of a 2 part overarching story, so some of the narrative is bound to feel incomplete at times. Yet the cliff hanger the film ends on is undeniably intriguing, and to the film’s credit, it does give the character of Gwen a complete arc and an exciting direction to head next. 

If you thought the first Spider-verse was for the fans, then you ain’t seen nothing yet. The film’s many references and visual gags runs the risk of alienating the more common viewer, but these never take away from the fact that the film is still a hell of a good time, brimming with inventive visuals, genuine humor, and a whole lot of heart. While I don’t think the film is as complete or impactful as the previous film in my opinion, it still comes pretty damn close, succeeding in areas other animated films could only dream of. Superhero fatigue may still be a lingering sickness, but films like this are a cure if I’ve ever seen one.

Rating

Venom Strike

Miles Morales really has come a long way towards becoming a widely recognized and respected Spider-Man, so I wanted to honor him with a drink. The Venom Strike, named after a electrical ability that makes Morales unique to the original Spider-Man, utilizes the character’s color palette of black and red, with quite a few (spider) bites of flavor. The drink uses tequila alongside lemon juice for some tartness, in addition to a little bit of hot sauce for just the right amount of heat. The drink also contains an interesting visual change. As the drink begins to touch the black sanding sugar, the top of the drink will grow darker, adding a neat little contrast of red and black similar to Mile’s Spidey suit. It’s a spicy yet refreshing blend perfect for the hot summer. I traveled the multiverse to put this drink together, so I would know.

Ingredients

• 2oz tequila
• 3/4oz blood orange juice
• 3/4oz creme de cassis
• 3/4oz lemon juice
• 3/4oz grenadine
• 3 dashes hot sauce
• Rim: black sanding sugar
• Top: Soda water

Instructions

1. Before making the drink, rub a lemon/lime wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass and coat the rim in black sugar.
2. Add the ingredients to a shaker and shake with ice.
3. Strain over fresh ice in the prepared glass.
4. Top with soda water.