Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Movie Review: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld’s Marvel Film is a Triumph of Animation with Lots of Spidey Goodness (LatestLY Exclusive)

Spider-Man Across the Spider-Verse Movie Review: When Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was released, it was one of the biggest surprises in animation that no one saw coming. A new and style that delivered a plot that seemed like a celebration of our favourite wall-crawler - it remains by far one of my most memorable cinematic experiences of the last few years. So, how do you follow that up? This was one of my concerns about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, but when the "Comic Code of Authority" logo appeared with one of the best opening scenes to a movie I have seen in a while, all my concerns vanished in an instant. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Movie Review: Spider-Verse Sequel Gets Thumbs Up From Critics Who Call It the Best Animated Superhero Film Ever!

Directed by the trio of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K Thompson, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse picks up a year after the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and sees Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) reunite with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) after a battle with the Spot (Jason Schwartzman). Being made aware that the villain’s existence threatens the entirety of the multiverse, Miles is introduced to an elite society of Spider-People led by Miguel O’Hara aka Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac) – however, quickly finds himself at odds with them when his ways of stopping the threat also harms the multiverse in many ways.

Miles' journey in Across the Spider-Verse contains the one thing that defines every Spider-Man story: managing your personal life while also being a superhero. His connection with his parents is strained, and he is struggling to find his place in this gargantuan multiverse, and it is this basic aspect that makes him feel like a man worthy of the title, with Shameik Moore delivering an excellent voice performance. The same can be said for Hailee Steinfeld's Gwen Stacy, who is given a lot more to do in this film and practically acts as a secondary protagonist. A lot of her struggles are similar to Miles', which makes it so convincing and helps build up a lot of the emotional beats.

It's a story of how one attempts to avoid the constant fate that the universe gives, and the desperation of Miles and Gwen's story will appeal to you deeply. It contains the emotion, drama, and, most importantly, the high stakes of the multiverse that make this story unique, even though it is only part one of a two-parter. It's a thorough story, which I appreciated, even if the cliffhanger ending will be contentious for many. Personally, it didn't concern me because it still felt like an ending. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse takes risks and runs with them, helping it stand out even more in this fatigued genre.

Watch the Trailer for Spider-Man - Across the Spider-Verse:

In terms of the multiverse, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse seems like Spider-Man: No Way Home on steroids, making even better use of the concept. There are so many Spider-People in here that my inner comic book nerd was overjoyed. Oscar Isaac's Spider-Man 2099 is a man who is too angry to be reasoned with, while Daniel Kaluuya's all-attitude rockstar Spider-Punk was a standout with his hilarious quips against capitalism. Not to mention Karan Soni's Pavitr Prabhakar aka Spider-Man of India, who was an excellent addition to an ever-expanding and diverse roster. Jake Johnson's Peter B Parker too has a fun return, though I wished they did a bit more with him. Even Schwartzman’s Spot was an interesting villain that I definitely want to see more of.

After Eternals' really weak Indian representation, having a lot of it done well in a movie of this magnitude felt incredible, and Pavitr's redesign from the comics was the chef's kiss. The multiverse portion, on the other hand, has some fan-service moments, one scene in particular making me audibly groan, but once you get past that, I really liked how they were able to push this concept even further.

But you’re here for the animation and, oh my, do they push the envelope here. The guys at Sony Animation have to be some technical wizards because every frame in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse oozes with love and care they have for this character. The blend of 2D and 3D was a defining feature of Into the Spider-Verse, and while I don't want to give anything away, they go above and beyond what was done in that film.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a triumph for the animation medium. Every depth of the frame contains vibrancy and intricacies. You can pause at any time and have a new desktop wallpaper. That's how good it is. Not to mention that each world in this film has its own distinct artstyle, with Pavitr Prabhakar's Mumbattan being a delight to watch. As a fellow Mumbaikar, it does depict the city in a whole new light; nonetheless, the unique peculiarities of it remain, and it does give it a homely vibe in certain ways. Spider-Man Across the Spider Verse: Here’s What Karan Soni Has To Say About Voicing Spider-Man India Pavitr Prabhakar.

And if that wasn't enough, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse tosses in even more references that feel like a love letter to the wall-crawler's 60-year legacy. From Insomniac's Spider-Man (Yuri Lowenthal) to Ben Reilly (Andy Samberg) to the Spider-Man pointing at himself meme - I adored it all. The only thing that concerns me here is how they will top this with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, because the work done here is simply outstanding.

Yay!

The Animation

Storytelling

Voice Acting

Nay!

A Specific Fan-Service Moment Felt Cheap

Final Thoughts

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is not only a love-letter to Spider-Man, but also to animation as a whole. Beautifully crafted with a story that delivers on some genuinely heartfelt moments, it’s a triumphant watch that will want you immediately going back into the cinemas once more. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse can’t get here fast. The film is playing in theatres right now.

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(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 01, 2023 10:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).