Review: Across the Spider-Verse

Surprise, surprise: I liked the new Spider-Man movie. That being said, this one is far more than meets the eye. It pays homage to both old and new Spider-Man, it's clever, it's funny, and it's deeply emotional. This film takes the plot of the previous film and runs with a beautiful story filled with the same highs and some minor lows.

PLOT: Dimensional travel?

The plot could be considered convoluted and strange by many, if not for the slow build the film takes to allow you to develop an aptitude for each character. Most of the plot is centered around building the conflict of the Spot and Miles throughout, but it also has enough time to focus on the Spider-Verse and these insanely likeable characters. The themes trusting family and learning to come to terms with fate are done quite well and accentuate the character arcs throughout. The cold open focusing on the past of a character we met before is done so well and really sets up the tone of the movie going in. Just well-done plot building all around. The ending also captures the beauty of the ending of Empire Strikes Back, a two-parter without being a two-parter. Just leaving us on a beautiful cliffhanger until the next issue arrives.

CHARACTERS: Too many!

This isn't a point against the movie. In fact, the remark about too many is mostly a positive as most of them end up with likeable ideas or characters. The returning characters either get a new arc or help the others build their own identities while new characters mostly service the plot or build on the theme of the story about the bonds between family. The weakest in my opinion though has to be Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew). She's not given much to do besides be a stern mentor and is really wasted in this film. Ben Reilly is treated as a joke for the most part which is a bit of a disservice but I'm not complaining. Miles gets a satisfying story throughout, Peter B. Parker returns in a fun small role that really shows his character doesn't need to grow any further in this story. The smaller Spider-Men like Pavitr and Hobie both steal their scenes and get some great moments. But, the star of the show is Gwen and her actress Hailee Steinfeld stealing the movie. It's clearly her movie, even starts and ends with her. Just well-done characters for the most part.

SHOTS: Animation...

Animation does so much that cannot be done in live-action. In what live-action movie are we gonna get a horde of Spider-Men chasing after our hero through a futuristic utopia? Not many. But, the best part about animation is the utility of camera and the way they portray their characters through gorgeous shots and stellar cinematography. The action choreography as well rocks, with some of the best swinging in recent Spider-Man movies. It's a hard sell to make it look good and a lot of films have managed to do well but some in the past just couldn't get the hang of it. This one really makes you wanna visit some of these worlds. And, by god, the animation is crazy good. Watch it for that at least. I will always say it's a genre meant to be enjoyed by everyone.

MUSIC: Uhhhhhh... not to complain...

I'm gonna have a wildly unpopular take: the music does not capture the highs of the first film. The first film had stellar music and memorable tracks. This one still does... but the songs are at a disadvantage because none are as good as "What's Up Danger" or "Sunflower". It's a shame, but it is the low point of the film for me. I love it, but just not as much as the other stuff.

WRITING: Clever, funny, inventive.

Good writing. Really simple to say, just good writing. Spider-People are mostly jokey and rarely ever take a situation seriously. So, to ground the situation, Spider-People have to be aware of the stakes and made to take these moments seriously. When they do, so does the audience because the time for jokes is over and now is the time for a big dramatic scene. The moment near the third act where Miles faces the consequences of the last film only work because of the sharp writing being able to change from jokey to more serious. This is a strength in the whole film, accentuated only by the terrific actors reading these lines.

CONS: Please see "Music".

The music was by far a let down. While the first film had great great GREAT music, this one suffered by having a great soundtrack, but not as great as the first's. Additionally, some characters definitely needed more or less focus. They had a lot and I get it, but Jessica Drew and Ben Reilly were pretty much useless in terms of their inclusion. They both could've been cut and made this film better. But, if those were my only complaints, then this film did well.

VERDICT:

A incredible follow-up to an masterpiece of a film. This doesn't always reach the highs of the first film, but its stellar animation and crazy good acting and writing sell the film's low points and soar to the top of recent Marvel movies. There's not any superhero fatigue, just people tired of low-quality movies and this one proves it. Watch it if you like Spider-Man or good animation, this film will have something for you to look at!

SCORE: 9.5/10