Review written by Christian Garcia
Today CG takes a trip across the Review-Verse as he reviews Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse!!
The first Into the Spider-Verse film received critical acclaim and is even regarded by most fans as the best Spider-Man film!
Fans have been waiting a long time for the sequel and now that it has finally arrived, how does it hold up?
Yes it does!!
I'm jumping the gun this time and saying that this movie not only tops the original but is without a doubt the best Spider-Man film and one of the most unique and spectacular cinematic experiences I have had in recent history.
My review for this film is going to be a little different from my previous reviews as rather than listing the Pros and Cons of the film (spoiler there aren't any cons), I am going to highlight the best things about this film and why they made the experience amazing! Also to avoid spoilers, I will keep my description of the Hero's Journey as general as possible so fans can get the full experience for themselves.
Strap on your web shooters and let's take a look Across the Spider-Verse!!!
The Hero's Journey
The film follows the journeys of Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy since the events of Into the Spider-Verse. Both struggle with their dual lives and with the consequences of keeping their identities as Spider-Man/Woman from their loved ones yet both also approach it differently, with Gwen leaning more towards maintaining the secret while Miles is more open to revealing it. Given Miles' strong relationship with his parents, we empathize with his struggle and root for him to tell them. Meanwhile, Gwen discourages him from doing so, and while we don't agree we also understand where she is coming from given her backstory.
The film wisely chooses to focus the opening on Gwen and her backstory prior to the previous film. Given how likable Gwen was in the first film, I and most fans were happy to see more time be dedicated to telling more of her story and giving us more reasons to love her and root for her. The film brings us to a crucial moment in her arc as Spider-Woman, something that we would traditionally see at the end of a film, but instead in the opening and it really sets the tone for the film's biggest theme. However, her moment is interrupted by another break in the Spider-Verse and she gets sent on her way back across the Spider-Verse.
We catch up with Miles as heads to an important meeting with his parents but of course, his double life as Spider-Man once again rears its ugly head and makes him late again. Every incarnation of Spider-Man has always struggled with balancing their normal life and their hero life with the result always being them colliding and being disastrous and sometimes tragic. Miles is ready to take a step outside his comfort zone while his mother is not ready to let him go. Miles struggles to live up to his parents' expectations and wants to be there for them but his duties as Spider-Man keep getting in the way and result in them being disappointed. Miles is tired of hiding his identity and wants to finally be understood, which is also why he misses Gwen and longs to see her again.
Like many superhero sequels, we open with the hero going after a villain that would not be the main threat and is more a reason to show off how the hero has grown and improved in using their powers. Miles encounters a villain known as The Spot, a humorous character who at first appears to be the "Villain of the Week" and doesn't appear to be a villain to take seriously. However, after accidentally transporting himself into a void, The Spot discovers he has the ability to travel across the Multiverse and searches for ways to make himself stronger. The actions of the Spot seemingly cause the Spider-Verse to unravel again and lead to Miles getting his wish as Gwen arrives in Earth-1610 and the two are reunited once again and must team up to stop the Spot before he completely destroys the Multiverse.
Film's Highlights
Outstanding Animation
The first film was highly praised for its unique animation style that created what many have called one of the most visually stunning films ever. The sequel ups the animation to create an even bigger and more eye-dazzling experience. I have loved animated films since childhood and I have to say that this is the greatest-looking animated film that I have ever seen as it feels like a fantastic combination of visuals that give off the vibe of a comic book, a masterpiece painting, and the perfect 2D-3D hybrid.
The style is so unique and unlike anything that I have ever seen since the first film. You can tell that there is a lot of love and passion along with talent put into every frame and every image on the screen. For every different style of Spider-Man, there is, the film does an excellent job of letting each style have its own look and feel. In the opening, we see a villain in the style of the Italian Renaissance that is done so well in terms of his design that it truly felt like something we would have seen done by Da Vinci.
One of the fans' most beloved aspects of comic books is the bright and vibrant images that tell an incredible story panel by panel. The still images I have here are only a small taste of what you will see in the film and honestly don't even do the actual images justice. Prepare your eyes for one of the most visually captivating visual experiences you will ever have.
Familiar Yet Fresh Story
I do not want to give too much away from this story as I feel it would take away from the experience so I will do my best to keep this as general as possible.
The main theme of the Spider-Man story is sacrifice. The words of Uncle Ben "With great power, comes great responsibility" ring true every time as Spider-Man is often forced to make a choice that will benefit the greater good but come at a personal cost. Whether it is the loss of a relative, a friend, a love interest, etc., Spider-Man is a tragic hero who is often forced to sacrifice a lot in order to do the right thing.
Since the Into The Spider-Verse films are the gathering of Spider-Men across multiple universes, they all experience the same yet still unique moments of sacrifice and loss. The film takes these stories that we are familiar with and weaves them into a bigger story that has been done before but still feels fresh. The story of trying to change destiny goes as far back as Ancient Greek tragedies and even further. Across the Spider-Verse mixes that classic tragic tale with the traditional story of Spider-Man's sacrifices to create a story that is incredibly emotional and leaves us as viewers conflicted as to whom to root for. I mean, most of us will side with Miles and his goal of preventing a traumatic event but at the same time we also understand the views of those who try to stop him.
Miles challenges the notion of Spider-Man itself by questioning why they must endure tragic losses and in order to prevent his own loss, may jeopardize the Spider-Verse altogether. It's an emotionally driven story that not only tests Miles and Gwen's beliefs of what being Spider-Man really means but combines with their personal struggles of balancing their dual lives and the personal tolls it has taken to create a narrative that will keep you invested and take you on an emotional ride.
Spider-Man Fan Service
The coolest thing about the Spider-Verse films is getting to see the different incarnations of Spider-Man all in one place.
In the first film, we got a mere taste of that as Miles and Gwen got to meet the likes of Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker, and Spider-Ham.
In the sequel, you get even more Spider-Men for your buck as this film serves as a love letter to ALL versions of Spider-Man from the comics to the TV shows to the films and even the video games. I won't say more beyond that!!
If you are a fan of Spider-Man, you will most likely find your favorite version of him somewhere in this film.
Final Thoughts
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is one of the best film experiences that I have had this year and is the Best Spider-Man film of them all...so far...
Its spectacular visuals, strong characters, and familiar yet refreshing story create an experience that truly captures the tragic heroism that is Spider-Man and reminds fans why he is a hero that we connect so strongly with on a deeper level beyond aesthetics. Whether it is Peter Parker, Miles Morales, or Gwen Stacy, the heroes that they choose to be and the amount they are willing to sacrifice have given us characters that are incredibly relatable and interesting to watch grow and evolve.
As someone who has loved Spider-Man since childhood, I have loved watching how his presentation in movies has evolved. While I loved the first two Sam Raimi films as well as the Tom Holland films, the Into the Spider-Verse films have the advantage of being animated which allows them to tell stories that service both the emotional complexities of Spider-Man with the colorful and vibrant images that caught our eyes from the start.
While Spider-Man: No Way Home is an amazing movie and by far the best live-action Spider-Man film, Across the Spider-Verse is the film that truly feels like the comic book coming to life. Its incredibly talented cast of voice actors matches the talents of their live-action on-screen counterparts and brings the characters to life.
If you loved the first film, you will definitely love this film. If you're a common moviegoer, this is an incredible film experience that you will never forget. If you are a Spider-Man fan, this is the ultimate Spidey experience. Go see it if you haven't already and even if you already have, go see it again, I know I intend to.