Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
Starring Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae
Directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers & Justin K. Thompson
After stopping a Renaissance-themed Vulture that came to her universe, Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers that there's an inter-dimensional Spider-Society led by futuristic Spider-Man 2099, Miguel O'Hara (Oscar Isaac) and his right-hand woman Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (Issa Rae) that's tasked with maintaining the order within the multiverse to keep it from imploding on itself. Reluctantly, Miguel allows Gwen to join, and she heads to Earth-42 to visit her old friend Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who's struggling with being Spider-Man while keeping his identity a secret from his family, as well as finding his own path in life apart from what other people think he should do.
He also comes across his "villain of the week" with Spot (Jason Schwartzman), who's body contains different portals to different dimensions and who has a personal vendetta against Spider-Man. At first he seems harmless, but he begins harnessing his abilities and becomes a massive threat to not just Miles, but the multiverse as a whole. After traveling with Gwen to another universe where he meets Pavitr Prabhakar/Spider-Man India (Karan Soni) and Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), they come into contact with the Spot again who only gains more power, leading Jessica to send Miles to Nueva York to meet with Miguel. Miguel tells Miles that he can never join the society and that he interrupted the multiversal flow, and despite pleas from Miles' mentor Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), tells Miles he has to go back home. Finally finding a place where he belongs, Miles refuses to go and decides to make his own destiny, and not accept the one that he's supposed to have - which could lead to the destruction of the multiverse, or save it.
The Good:
There's way too many positives to say about "Across the Spider-Verse," and simply calling it "good" does a disservice to the masterpiece that it is. This is a film that needs...demands...to be seen on the big screen. It's designed for the big screen, made with the sole purpose of giving audiences not just something to root for, but an ideal to strive for, all wrapped up in animation that's something visually that's never been accomplished before. Not only does it have the superhero action and dry wit and comedy, but it touches on deeply profound themes involving destiny and what it means to be a hero, and how even our pain, anger, and loss can shape us into the people we are today: people we wouldn't be without those negatives, even though we strive to eliminate them from our lives.
First let's discuss the animation. "Into the Spider-Verse" was the Academy Award-winning film that introduced moviegoers to Miles Morales, and did so in grand scale: by making a film that feels like a living, breathing comic book that moves at a dizzying, grandiose pace. "Across the Spider-Verse," by some act of God, somehow elevates that animation to something so mind-bending that it leaves you speechless even from the first frames, and only intensifies as it continues. History was made with this film on several fronts. First, it's the longest American animated film at two hours and twenty minutes, but it earns every...single..millisecond. There's not one moment that's a waste, one second too long, and if anything it leaves you panting, yearning, desiring for more. In a day and age where almost every film outlives its timeframe, "Across the Spider-Verse" is, much like one of its themes, an anomaly. Also, it made history by incorporating the largest number of animators working on any animated film with 1,000 people. Yes, 1,000 people animated this film, and it shows in the brilliant, magnificent mixture of animation styles that fill the screen and stimulates the visual senses like never before, and trust me when I say your jaw will be on the floor for pretty much the duration of this cinematic masterpiece.
Stunning animation, however, is nothing without an equally stunning story, and "Across the Spider-Verse" has that in spades. Not only does it return to the focus on Miles's story and how he's facing more adult situations (although he's only fifteen) while trying to find his own path in life, but we also get a more personal story regarding Gwen Stacy, who's tale is richly explored as she also struggles with dealing with her Commissioner father who is actively hunting Spider-Woman (without knowing its her) along with her own guilt over the loss of her friend in her universe, which shapes her view on the world. Not just that, but even Spot is given a profound background that surprisingly ties into "Into the Spider-Verse" in a way I never thought imaginable, and gives him a more personal take on why he hates Miles, channeling that anger from a bumbling "villain of the week" into a mega-villain that could spell doom for the multiverse. Miguel O'Hara's story is equally tragic, forging the hero into the only Spider-Man without humor (although he does give some humorous quips), and Jessica Drew also exhibits strength due to her circumstances. Miles's parents also take a more commanding role, as they struggle to understand what's happening with Miles as well as facing their own fears that their little boy is becoming a man. Each character has deep, rich, provoking character development that only scratches the surface of this multi-layered story.
More than the rich character development, "Across the Spider-Verse" also expounds on the hero's journey and what it means to be a hero, as well as what tragic events shaped their present. Destiny has always played a major role in superhero movies and comics, and it's addressed here as the possibility of shaping your own destiny, and not conforming to what you think destiny is. Miles has gone through his whole life being told who he's supposed to be and the limitations that he has, but he knows that he can shape his own destiny, and that it's not controlled simply by fate. This comes into conflict with Miguel's viewpoint that each Spider-Man has his own "canon event" that shapes that universe's Spider-Man and keeps the multiverse in balance, leading him to try to prevent Miles from doing something that could end catastrophically - or could change the future forever.
Next to animation and story, you need a strong vocal cast to fully develop the film, and every single performance here is top-tier, and sadly probably won't receive the recognition they deserve because awards ceremonies are known for omitting vocal performances in animated films. Shameik Moore re-introduces Miles as a kid who's coming to terms with his future, and his inflection in voice showcases his own uncertainty mixed with cautious optimism and youthful arrogance perfectly. Hailee Steinfeld brings Gwen's snarky sense of humor once again, but now infuses it with a voice filled with regret, sadness, and apprehension. Oscar Isaac is truly terrifying as Miguel, the imposing futuristic Spider-Man who comes to blows with Miles's viewpoint, while Issa Rae gives Jessica Drew a voice that blends confidence with a motherly touch.
On top of the Spider-People's vocal performances, the strong standouts include Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Laren Velez as Miles's parents Jefferson and Rio. Jefferson is trying hard to connect with his son on a personal level, and Henry showcases this with his vocal vulnerability and uncertainty, but the main MVP here is Velez as Rio, who gives a heartwarming, weighty, and tear-inducing speech to Miles about not losing his youth as he transcends to manhood that, again, would've garnered the actress a Best Supporting Actress nod if it was live-action, and I'm still holding out hope she somehow will squeak her way into the nomination pool still.
The action in "Across the Spider-Verse" is dizzying and fast paced, which, like everything associated with this film, is one-of-a-kind and unforgettable. The Easter Eggs are too numerous to mention, and requires multiple viewings to find everything, and for a film like this you won't mind one bit. The score and the music - much like with the original - is also top notch and memorable, infusing more excitement than you could think would ever be possible, getting your blood pumping from the first beats to the last. Again, this film is a pure masterclass in visual storytelling.
The Bad:
This is the second film in a three-film series, and ends on shocking cliffhangers that had the audience screaming in shock when the closing credits started rolling. We have to wait until March of 2024 to see how this concludes, and for this to be a "bad" thing isn't bad at all, because the story demands such a desired frenzy to see how it all plays out due to the good will that it imparted on the audience.
The Verdict:
More than a superhero movie, more than an animated movie, "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is a masterclass in visual storytelling, achieving visual wonders never before seen, equipped with a strong story, masterful vocal performances, top-notch music, and an overall experience that you must see in the theater, and leave you changed.
The Score: A+
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