Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review

Spider-Mania

The first film with Miles Morales as the titular character was a fantastic hit back in 2018 and easily became my favorite film from that year and one of my favorite comic book movies of all time. The animation was revolutionary and I loved all the twists and turns with Spider-Man lore but really it was the characters and story that really hooked me. Thankfully, Across the Spider-Verse understands that and goes deeper than before to deliver one of the best films of the Summer and the year. With superb animation, excellent characters, death-defying stakes, and fun Easter eggs to the various iterations of Spider-Man this is truly a theatrical experience you do not want to miss!

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man is catapulted across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. However, when the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders. He must soon redefine what it means to be a hero so he can save the people he loves most.

While there are a multitude of Spider-Man characters to talk about here, the film is wisely concerned with its central two from the previous film: Miles and Gwen. It’s refreshing since most audiences are familiar with Peter Parker but haven’t gotten the chance to dive deep with Miles or Gwen in previous films. Miles remains a compelling protagonist, imbuing a new founded enthusiasm with being Spider-Man for a year while also balancing his responsibilities of school and home. Seeing him navigate his family dynamics with Spider-Man is a classic trope we have seen before, but not through the lens of Miles which helps keep things fresh. It also helps that this is a trope that never gets tired. Seeing heroes wrestle with their responsibilities while striving to do what is right is a classic Spider-Man dilemma that provides compelling and interesting story ideas.

One of these story ideas comes in the form of Gwen Stacy, who has a much more prominent role here than in the previous film. Her character arc and struggle is similar to that of other Spider-People, but presents unique challenges of its own that takes her through a parallel but different arc than that of Miles. I greatly enjoyed getting to dive deeper with these characters and see things that we haven’t seen before. With upcoming films scheduled to feature more of Gwen and other Spider-people, I am excited to see what other directions they can go in.

The story takes our characters through a multitude of different universes, interacting with other Spider-People, but at its core still remains a character driven conflict rather than primarily event driven. The characters have to wrestle with what it means to be Spider-Man, similar to the previous film, but with the added dimension of death-defying stakes that greatly impact the multiverse. With all of these grand implications, I was pleasantly surprised to see the film keeps things grounded and never loses focus of the characters. Seeing them wrestle with their identities, among high stakes, is what is making these films truly work.

The animation is yet again a standout this time around, particularly as they change from different universes. The comic book style esquires artistic really pop out when traveling to different settings, and dynamically changes to fit the story. I appreciate the small attentions to detail that allow the film to feel unique and its own thing apart from all the other Spider-Man projects out there.

The Easter eggs are icing on the cake, and offer fun nods for fans of Spider-Man. There are many movies that try to cash in on the Easter eggs, but Across the Spider-Verse realizes that these are additions to an already well established and fun film. It adds another layer of enjoyment especially upon rewatch.

This was one of my most enjoyable movie experiences this year, and I am excited to see where they go in the next film given our cliffhanger ending. Across the Spider-Verse is a fantastic ride from beginning to end and builds upon the excellent foundation of the first film. It’s funny, action-packed, investing, and all together a great Summer movie. Highly recommend checking this one out in theaters if you can!

(A) Spectacular