Director: Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., Rodney Rothman

Running Time: 1h 56m

Cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Liev Schreiber, Mahershala Ali, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage

Movie Score:

95%*[0-50%-red (poor); 50-70%-yellow (average to good, better and promising); 70-90%-green (very good to great); 90-100%-blue (outstanding to perfect and a masterpiece)]

THIS IS A SPOILER FREE REVIEW OF THE FILM

What’s the best Spider-Man adaptation on the big screen, in your long memory since childhood? Well, the answers can be multiple because there have been some really notable ones, even if they were not many in numbers. And the latest animated feature, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is that movie which was much needed for the fans of the classic superhero from the comics who has been an inspiring nostalgia for people of varying but all ages.

This film is different from any animation flick you’ve ever seen, probably in the last 5-6 years. It’s a treat for the comic book readers themselves since it feels like one hell of a comic itself; like you are reading a Spider-Man story on a nice, fine day, and that story is just making you wanting and craving for more, and more, and more!

Hats off to the trio of directors Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., and Rodney Rothman, for they have woven a crafted masterpiece together, based on a well-written storyline too. Into the Spider-Verse oozes in its full glory while also teaching you small, key life lessons.

Speaking of the synopsis, then the story is about a boy named Miles Morales (voiced by Shamiek Moore), who gets bitten by a radioactive spider and gains superhuman abilities of wall crawling and flying by shooting webs on buildings; eventually becoming Spider-Man. But he isn’t the only Spider-Man since there many in other existing dimensions also. Due to the opening of a portal by the supervillain Kingpin (voiced by Liev Schreiber), different ‘Spider people’ get into the dimension of Miles, who lives in Brooklyn.

When Miles realizes the entire scenario and the evil plans of Kingpin, he then decides to use his newfound skills to fight against him and stop him. The hulking madman opens the portal to other universes and pulls different versions of Spider-Man into our world at the beginning of the film.

A still from the film. Image Source: assets3.thrillist.com

Miles meets the Spider-Man/Peter B. Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson), who has become fat and a bit older in so many years of being a protector of the city. And then starts the introduction of various Spider-people, namely Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), Peter Porker/Spider-Ham (voiced by John Mulaney), Peter Parker/Spider-Man Noir (voiced by Nicolas Cage), and Peni Parker (voiced by Kimiko Glenn).

The great positive of this film is that every Spider-Man version impresses you with his/her charm, characteristics, and qualities. It gets so good that you just can’t get enough of them all, barring only a few. The main ‘Spider people’ on whom the story focuses heavily are Miles, Peter B. Parker, and Gwen Stacy.

Gwen’s character seemed to be engaging and immersive, but again, the film couldn’t show more of her side (the film should have been more lengthy). Hailee Steinfeld’s voice also fitted her aptly and her appearance too was fantastically beautiful. She will certainly be seen more in future Spider-Verse flicks.

Talking of Peter B. Parker’s Spider-Man, then he was the best-animated version of the web-slinger hero, of all-time. He was outstandingly great to watch, kind-of-acting as a mentor to the young Miles, who’s the newest of all the Spider-Man versions. Jake Johnson’s voice was so damn great on him. The emotions and sadness of all these years could be felt right away in all those scenes featuring him.

Other supporting Spider-Man versions are also brilliant in their timings and dialogues that entertain you throughout the time they are there, before they are not there, eventually. Especially the character of Peter Porker/Spider-Ham was so crazily hilarious, but his duration was less. Similarly the anime-like character, Penni Parker also seemed cute.

Who knows if all these characters get their own spin-off flicks in the future! Well, if the execution stays like right like this one, we will definitely be wanting them to have their own stories to be told on the big screen.

Miles Morales, on whom the story basically hangs, is just so honest in his emotions and his everyday hardships which can be felt by anyone who’s been a school student, college student or a normal son. The relationship of him with his father is also the highlight of the film which makes you feel for them equally and also relate to their characters in a deep manner.

On technical aspects, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a ‘Marvel’ in its entirety. The animation is so-so immersive and vastly different from the past films that you can’t help but enjoy it in a whole new fresh way.

The ‘comic bookish’ style of the scenes and dialogues seems relatable to any comic book lover, of any age. Special effects are to the point, being just greatly enthralling to watch. The very scene of the film tells you that you’re in for a great superhero animation experience, like never before.

Daniel Pemberton’s music is also refreshing to the ears, running in the background. Each score fits rightly onto a specific scene and the sound-mixing feels good too. Featured songs, which were particularly made for this movie, are also absolutely entertaining to listen. Some of the best ones include ‘What’s Up Danger’ by Blackway and Black Caviar, and also ‘Sunflower’ by Post Malone and Swae Lee. There are others too since there’s a whole dedicated playlist of the movie’s album, which is again, great for the music lovers too.

There’s no doubt in saying that it will be the Best Animated Film in the next year’s Academy Awards. Before its release, there were also some best ones out there in competition, but now, no chance for them. Because Sony has managed to bring something so special for us that we can’t stop talking about it and watch it on loop. This movie deserves each and ‘every word of admiration existing in a dictionary’.

Definitely, it’s the first film in a soon-to-be-popular Spider-Verse animation franchise by Sony. And going by this entry, hopes will be beyond next level whenever the second film arrives in the coming years.

Distribute by Sony Pictures and produced by Columbia Pictures, Marvel Entertainment, and Arad Productions, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has already released in theaters.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tg52up16eq0]

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Daniel Jack

For Daniel, journalism is a way of life. He lives and breathes art and anything even remotely related to it. Politics, Cinema, books, music, fashion are a part of his lifestyle.