Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review – Beyond the Hype

Unlike music, I very rarely feel the urge to immediately rewatch a film once I have seen it in theaters. However, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse carved out an exception where I almost let a screaming chant of “ONCE MORE” out, right after the credits rolled.

Prior to watching the film yesterday, I had set a lot of expectations from the film. This is because Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was arguably among the top 5 animated film of all time. It is also a rightful contender for one of the greatest comic book films of all time. So, by that logic, I walked into the movie theater expecting to witness the magic of animation once again.

However, that didn’t mean I didn’t have my fair share of skepticism for the film as well. For starters, that long runtime of 136 minutes. I like my animated films short and concise, just like the 100-minute runtime of Into the Spider-Verse. But, by the end of the sequel, I wished I had the power to either conjure more scenes involving the characters, or somehow time travel to 2024 to watch Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Focus on Miles in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Another issue I thought I might see in the film was the lack of focus on Miles Morales. The original Spider-Verse film had a few Spider-People from the multiverse. However, that number balloons tremendously with the sequel, thanks to the new Spider-Society created by Miguel O’Hara aka Spider-Man 2099.

Despite the jaw-dropping number of Spideys from the multiverse, the film’s story hinges on Miles Morales and his relationship with his family. The film’s plot also deeply hinges on the Spider-Man mythos. Over the years, films, TV shows, and comics have showcased the good and bad sides of being the web-slinger.

Destiny and the villain

The mythos is rooted in the backstories of the various Spidey-People. This includes O’Hara, Morales, Gwen Stacy, and even the returning Peter B. Parker. It’s also acts as the connective tissue between all these characters to form what O’Hara calls the “Web of Destiny.” It’s an ingenious take on an iconic character’s story, which most moviegoing audiences are familiar with.

The mythos also forms the crux of the conflict, and it also brings forth the question of being enough to wear the mask and the suit. That doubt is further amplified by the presence of the film’s villain, The Spot. While the trailers for the film showcased a whimsical villain of the week-type character, the film gradually picks up the pace to showcase how vital he is to the story.

In the end, it’s fair to say that the film’s story will keep you hooked till the end. Once the credits roll, you’ll have questions and theories about what happens next. And even though the film has no mid or post-credit scenes, the film’s plot has more than enough substance and intrigue for you to wish for an early release of Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Beautiful visuals of different worlds in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Another major aspect of the film is the visual language. The film’s predecessor introduced a novel way of storytelling with comic book characters, which included the use of elements from the books themselves. After five years of development, the sequel expands upon the formula with a visual palette involving various colors, animation styles, and more.

Each world in the film has a distinctive look and feel. Morales’ Earth-1610 expands upon the look we saw in the first film. This includes the beautiful shots of different New York boroughs, such as Brooklyn. The world wildly differs from the likes of Earth-50101, the home of Spider-Man: India. With Mumbattan, the makers have a vertical city filled with references to Indian culture, including film, art and even traffic. Along similar lines, Gwen Stacy’s Earth-65 has a dreamy-like look with water-colored art that plays perfectly with her story.

It’s clear to see that the makers have put in quite a lot of effort to craft these worlds. All this effort pays off, as the film instantly becomes a visual treat. While many non-admirers of Spider-Man might feel the story a bit too heavy and expository, the visuals will definitely keep most of them glued to their seats with their mouth wide open. It is no less than an impressive feat to top the visual language of a film that’s widely regarded as a benchmark for animated films.

Story and the multiple Spider-Men

The story and the visuals of the film are amplified by the presence of some great characters, with many being new fan-favorites. Just as the original introduced wacky and lovable characters like Spider-Man: Noir and Spider-Ham, the new film has oddball characters like Spider-Punk aka Hobie Brown, played to perfection by Daniel Kaluuya with a rich British accent. Spider-Man India is also quite hilarious, thanks to an entertaining performance by Karan Soni.

However, when it comes to the new set of characters introduced in the film, it’s Oscar Isaac who takes the cake for being the best of the bunch as Spider-Man 2099. Isaac’s O’Hara has raw emotions such as anger, rage, and pain that he brings to the forefront during moments of despair. He serves as the perfect barrier to Miles Morales’ attempts to saving everyone.

The returning cast is also a treat to watch. Shameik Moore is again brilliant as Miles Morales, especially during the various moments with his mother and father. Similarly, he’s also great in tandem with Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy, who has a lot more to work with this time. Even Jake Johnson brings his A-Game with Peter B. Parker, as he rocks the role of the dad to the cute Mayday Parker.

Spiderman references and more

To top it all off, the film has ton of references to comic-books, video games, and even live-action universes to keep every Spidey fan happy. In addition, these cameos don’t just feel like a cash-grab or an attempt to link every universe. All of them feel organic, and they feel right at home for a film that’s all about the multiverse.

In the end, this film has me questioning my rankings of both my all-time animated and all-time comic book film rankings. At the moment, it’s still Batman: Mask of the Phantasm at the top as I wait to see how the series pans out with Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. At the same time, I wouldn’t be shocked if this series rises to the top soon.