Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) review - Movie Thoughts (Chapter 17) 💥

 Hello everyone,

Today's review is for a fantastic animated film that wasn't initially on my radar because it was yet another Spiderman movie. After Maguire, Garfield and Holland, I really thought this superhero had been played out in Hollywood, what more could they do? Then this little film went and won Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and I realised I might have missed a gem. I was right, this film is so freaking good, 10/10 would recommend....

(**disclaimer: the following thoughts are 100% my opinion, you do not have to agree with them - film is inherently subjective and everyone's perspective is valid! Also, there are probably spoilers in the following, read at your own risk. Now onto some thoughts....**)

Source: IMDB

A witty and refreshing take on a beloved superhero, collaboration was the recipe for success in this animated feature that wasn’t afraid to try something new. Laidback teenage graffiti artist Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) stumbles into the job of the Spiderman and has to learn to work with 5 different Spiderman’s from other universes to defeat a potentially reality altering threat. Directors Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman blended together a complexly diverse mix of characters that emphasized a simple idea – it does not matter who you are, anyone can wear the mask.

This film is visually exquisite; akin to a kinetic comic book, complete with text box graphics, large bubble text and whimsical onomatopoeia’s. There was always something to catch your eye on screen and the detail in the costumes and facial expressions was simply beautiful. Especially in the fights around the collider and chase scenes on the streets of New York, the sequences felt three dimensional and pulled you into all the Easter eggs of this detailed universe.

In terms of animation style, the creative team cultivated a truly genius and unique aesthetic that gave the film its own diverse and dynamic feeling. Colour sparkled throughout, with the shatter effects of the multiverse graphics fused with different colours to reflect different symbolisms were so cool and tied well thematically with Miles’ graffiti art talents. Smashing a variety of different designs and shapes to create such a vibrant visual extravaganza made for such an exciting viewing experience and audiences are able to just get lost in the magic of the world for a while as they followed Miles’ journey.

There’s always the potential for visual spectacles to feel hollow in other areas, but Into The SpiderVerse was truly a wonderous jack of all trades. Thematically, this film was complex and beautiful in discussing topics like friendship, family and what it takes to be a ‘hero’. Miles was a really interesting protagonist. Flawed and lacking confidence for most of the plot as the mantle of the great ‘Spiderman’ is thrust upon him without any preparation, he was humanized well and felt intensely relatable because he doesn’t want to let people down or lose the love and support of his family. He doesn’t know who he is or if he’s good enough; a vulnerable sentiment young people are all too familiar with. Not only was he compellingly conflicted, he also had wonderful charisma and his conversations with Peter B. Parker (the fabulously expressive Jake Johnson) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) in particular hit both the vulnerable and humourous beats.

On the other side of the battle, the rolling antagonists raised the stakes in an enticing manner and held the tension about who would end up victorious brilliantly. Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk (Liev Schreiber) and a crazy female Doc Ock, aka Liv (Kathryn Hahn) were formidable villains that both had their own motivations and internal struggles fleshed out properly. A hilariously large man/small head combo and a desire to get his family back forced him into messing with alternate realities, Kingpin’s strength and obsession is enough to create an interesting final showdown with Miles and forced him to step up his game. Visually, Ock’s tentacles were awesome to watch flying around the screen and added a clever and nostalgically mobile element to the action. It certainly wasn’t easy to beat them, which made the SpiderGang’s work all the sweeter, and the overall demeanour of the villains wasn’t shallow or cheesy. A supplementary arc from the mysterious purple hunter Prowler (Mahershala Ali) and his shocking identity reveal was unexpectedly emotional for Miles and the audience, while Scorpion (Joaquin Cosio)’s vicious fighting skills inflicted a surprising death to the final team fight. There was certainly a lot going on, but the creative team balanced it all brilliantly.

Conceptually, democratizing the cult superhero demeanour of Spiderman and ambitiously messing with alternate realities was a clever idea executed really well. Diversifying to include a Spiderman of colour, a female, an anime girl/robot combo and even a pig truly showcased that anyone could wear the mask. Multiple incarnations also allowed some for very clever moments of humour, including Spider Noir’s (Nicolas Cage, of course) fascination with the Rubik’s cube and Aunt May (Lily Tomlin)’s badass tea-sipping tech lady in the SpiderCave. It’s refreshing to see characters audiences already know, but updating them with fun new caveats to fall in love with all over again. Rodney Rothman and Phil Lord’s screenplay didn’t take itself too seriously with its sincere and snappy sensibility, and it’s witty dialogue and millennial/comicbook references kept it charmingly self-aware and contemporary.

With a robust narrative, enthralling characters, vibrant aesthetics and a pumping urban soundtrack, Spiderman ultimately got an exciting new lease on life with its move into the SpiderVerse.

9/10, 4.5 STARS

Thanks for reading,

Love and spiderpigs, Emily 💥