Wow. That's the only word that I was able to articulate after being blown away by Spider-Verse. Normally I write my reviews as soon after seeing the movie as possible, however this time, I needed to give myself a few days to make sure I wasn't just riding the high that the movie leaves you on, and that it actually was as well-made as I thought. A few days later and my thoughts haven't changed. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is not only the best animated movie of the year, it's also the best superhero movie of the year (and this is coming from someone who loved both Black Panther and Infinity War), and simply one of the best movies of the year period (not to mention the best Spider Man movie of all time). This film succeeds in every conceivable way: it's got well-written, compelling characters that are brought to life by superlative acting; the visuals are stunning and create the most immersive theater experience of the year; the action is thrilling and never gets repetitive; the story manages to be both completely groundbreaking while also paying homage to the Spider Man story we know and love; and best of all, the comedy is absolutely spot on, every single joke lands without feeling cheap or getting old. As good as this movie is across the board, I suspect it all stemmed from an impressively written screenplay. Not surprisingly, Phil Lord (and an uncredited Chris Miller), truly understands what people enjoy and relate to in the Spider Man story and brings that to the screen beautifully. What's accessible about the character of Spider Man is that he (or she) is just a normal kid who gets these extraordinary powers and learns to become a superhero. As great a character as Iron Man is, it's pretty hard for a child to relate to the hard-drinking billionaire who happens to fight crime. Spider Man is relatable because he is a superhero every person can see themselves becoming in those circumstances. And that is the thesis of this film. Anyone can be Spider Man. The introduction of the Spider-Verse actually serves this message and enhances the story, which is what made the movie so enjoyable. At no point did the multi-verse concept feel like a device for selling toys (ahem... Porgs), but instead was a natural way to set up Miles Morales. There are only two things I could think of that could get criticized in Spider-Verse, the first is its inaccessibility to people who don't like Spider Man or superheroes, and the second is its visual style might not work for everyone. To address the first issue, I suspect there will be people who think this movie is only entertaining for people who already enjoy Spider Man properties, but I strongly disagree. Taking the Spider Man aspect out of this film, there's still a lot of great storytelling at work. Within this movie is a coming of age story about a black-hispanic kid trying to fit into his almost all-white high school, a story about a father trying to relate to his son, a story about a man who has given up on life who needs someone younger and more hopeful to show him the way, and a damn good science fiction story about a multi-verse. All of these narratives work without the superhero aspect, and I think make this film completely accessible to someone who has never seen a Spider Man movie before. The second issue about the visual style I understand a bit more, as initially the visuals didn't work for me. The style is shaky and imperfect and I felt like I was watching a 3-D movie without glasses. However, I realized they meant for the look to be imperfect and rough around the edges, just like worn out comic book come to life. I think part of the problem is that in recent years, with Pixar and Illumination movies, animation has gotten so refined and smooth, that is was at first off putting to see something break out of that mold. But after about 30 minutes, my eyes adjusted and I was able to get absorbed into the world they created. In summary, Spider-Verse is a mesmerizing movie that is firing on all cylinders and absolutely succeeds. It's funny, smart, heartfelt, with a message that makes me feel as hopeful and optimistic as I did when I was a kid seeing Toby Maguire become Spider Man for the first time. If you love Spider Man, you will 100% eat this movie up, and if you don't already love the wall-crawling hero, you will by the end of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Go see this movie!
Review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
