MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Animated Superhero/Voices of: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Chris Pine, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Vélez, Zoë Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber, Lake Bell, Jorma Taccone, Marvin “Krondon” Jones III, Joaquín Cosío, Post Malone, Stan Lee/Runtime: 117 minutes
I think it’s safe to say that whilst there are in the world around us some fairly on-point examples of people and/or characters that it’s not entirely sure why they are as popular as they are, looking at you Justin Bieber, I can safely say that the superhero Spider-Man is delightfully not a member of this distinct club. To be sure, it’s not just because ol’ web head was first brought to readers as a teen hero, thereby making him someone readers could actually relate to, but also because of what he stands for. By that I mean whilst life isn’t the best for Peter Parker we still see that he is willing to do whatever it takes to help those who need it most regardless of how they feel about him or his web slinging alter-ego. Yet despite the fact that this has been the key component to this icon for the past 5+ decades, it should also be noted that Spider-Man himself has, with that same passage of time, been able to be that rare hero who is always able to change in some way. As a result, not only have we as people been blessed to get quite a few tv shows, but also multiple takes on the character (some of which don’t even revolve around Peter Parker himself), a Broadway show that the less said about the better, and even a trinity of live-action cinematic takes on the character courtesy of Tobey Maguire, Andrew Garfield, and Tom Holland respectively with each of these wonderful performers managing to contribute something unique and novel to the part. Thus, in case the aforementioned hadn’t really spelled out, it really did seem for quite awhile that the lengthy legacy of ol’ Web Head might just be all but impossible for one movie to fully capture for audiences all over the planet. Of course, that was also before the slice of cinema I am reviewing for you today, 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Indeed here is a Spider-Man film that is very much distinct from every other film featuring Marvel’s iconic arachnid hero in that it not only is an animated venture, but it also showcases the multiverse of Marvel long before any other film ever did and it doesn’t have Peter Parker as the main character (gasp). Yet, rather than collapsing under such hefty narrative weight, we see that this slice of cinema is actually able to thrive on it and in the process give movie goers like you and me easily one of the finest superhero movies I have seen in some time. Indeed there might be some miniscule issues here and there, but Into the Spider-Verse is more than just a phenomenal cinematic accomplishment rooted in the brilliance of what Stan Lee and Steve Ditko first conjured up in 1962 and it is also more than just an incredibly well-made and well-performed ode to this timeless character. Rather, it is no more and no less than a comic book come to life to say nothing of pure cinematic magic at its best thus making this a true must-see in every sense of the word.
The plot is as follows: Taking us to (where else?) New York City, Into the Spider-Verse gets its web-slinging yarn underway by introducing us to a young man by the name of Miles Morales (you definitely thought I was going to say Peter Parker though admit it). Mr. Morales, we rather quickly pick up on, is a brilliant kid from Brooklyn who is just trying to find who he is meant to be in this world even whilst having to balance out his commitments to both his family, including overprotective cop father Jefferson and cool uncle Aaron, as well as to the new private school he has started to attend. However, it isn’t long before things take a turn for the weird when, whilst spending time with his uncle, Miles is bitten by a very familiar-looking spider and finds (surprise surprise) the next morning that he has been endowed with spider-like abilities. As if that wasn’t already weird enough, we soon see that Miles decides to investigate the scene of his assault by spider a bit more carefully only to inadvertently find himself in the middle of a battle between Spider-Man and The Kingpin (plus his minions for good measure). A battle that results in certain spoilery knowledge being learned and that also doesn’t go quite as well as we normally think it would. At any rate, we see that in the aftermath of this battle that Miles decides to become Spider-Man himself for….reasons. A plan that honestly would go over amazingly well (except with the supervillain population of course)….if all of a sudden and quite inexplicably other people who hold the title of Spider-Man in other dimensions weren’t all of a sudden popping into Miles’. A group that includes amongst its rather perplexed dignitaries a more downtrodden and cynical Peter Parker (with a B for a middle name for distinguishing purposes), a creature known as Spider-Ham, one where it’s Gwen Stacy under the mask instead, one that seems inspired by manga named Peni Parker, and one that seems lifted straight out of the Great Depression known as Spider-Man Noir respectively. Thus can this seriously odd group of Spider-People (?) team up to defeat Kingpin, his minions, and their sinister machinations or are all of their universes (including Miles’) about to go the way of the boy bands of the 90s (and I don’t mean with reunion tours every 5 years)? That dear reader I shall leave for you to discover for yourself!
Now right off the ol’ web, it should be noted that the work done behind the camera on this slice of superhero cinema is downright impressive in every sense of the word. This starts with the fact that this film looks like an incredible blend of a comic book plus stylish graffiti art combined into one and then brought to life via magic and celluloid. A brilliant touch not just because of its tie-in to something our main character is passionate about, but also because it permits the film to possess its own distinct visual flair that other CG animated movies simply do not possess. We also see that this distinguishing animated style is by no means limited to the film itself, but also extends to some of the characters here as well. Indeed through the incorporation of some of the other Spider-Beings in this, the filmmakers also are able to brilliantly blend in styles that resemble anime, old school Looney Tunes skits, and (of all things) 1930s black and white gangster flicks respectively into the overall film. Yet rather than feel disjointed in any way, we see that all of these distinct visual styles once they come into the film actually play off each other incredibly well whilst also distinguishing each of those characters so they come across as individuals rather than just lump them in with the rest as “oh goody! Yet *another* Spider-Being for us to follow!” Finally, it is also worth noting that this film’s visual flair also succeeds at feeling like a comic book come to life complete with the utilization of dialogue bubbles, panels, and even reflection words like Adam West’s Batman show to highlight both the backstories for the different characters as well as the lively action beats respectively. Indeed there have been other attempts to utilize these elements in comic book movies before, but what makes them work exceptionally well is the fact that it all manages to work in harmony with the narrative being told. Along with that, this film is also the blessed recipient of a terrific sense of humor. Indeed the pair of scribes on this do a wonderful job of giving us plentiful comedic bits that either shatter the 4th wall completely or are meta to the hilt including a jab at a very, even to this day, infamous part of 2007’s Spider-Man 3 that definitely had me chuckling. Of course, perhaps the best thing this slice of cinema has going for it behind the camera is the fact that the story it is choosing to tell is not only poignant and riveting, but also relatable as well. Indeed this is a story of a young person struggling to find their place in the world only to inadvertently acquire this bigger purpose for themself that they aren’t quite sure they can live up to, but must if they wish to keep those they love to say nothing of their entire universe safe. Sure, not all of us can relate to the saving the universe bit, but I think we all at one time or another have struggled with not just the trying to find one’s place in the world, but also the living up to the legacy of others in some form and wondering if we are worthy enough to carry on where they left off. Suffice it to say then that I have no doubt in my mind that this slice of cinema will definitely strike a very familiar chord even for some that chord will resonate from somewhere close by and for others that cord will resonate from a more distant yet still there part that may fade, but which never fully goes away.
Of course, all of that wonderful work behind the camera would only work about half as well if the work done in front of the camera by the vocal cast of performers weren’t up to snuff. Thankfully, that is not a problem this slice of cinema has to worry about since every single member of the cast manages to bring their A-game to this and then some. This starts with Shameik Moore who, in the lead role of Miles Morales, is amazing. Indeed not only does Moore bring the heart and passion that are vital to the character, but he also brings a bit of insecurity and anxiety about being the rookie in a room of seasoned professionals and hoping he can do just as much good as they have. Suffice it to say that it’s a genuine star-making performance and I can’t wait to see where this guy’s career goes from here. I also enjoyed the work done here by Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker aka a take on Spider-Man if life kept giving him one hurdling block after another and, instead of rising to the challenge, decided to let himself go both physically and mentally. Indeed it really is a wonderful performance and it also doesn’t hurt that Johnson and Moore have a terrific back and forth with each other that is both hilarious yet also beautifully poignant when it needs to be. We also get treated to a fantastic performance from the immensely talented Hailee Steinfeld who is perfectly cast as Spider-Gwen. Indeed not only does Steinfeld do wonderful at portraying a character that at first is only working with the others out of a matter of convenience rather than really wanting to get to know them as individuals, but she also does a great job at giving the character moments where she does let her walls come down and you really see that behind the confidence and skill she displays as her universe’s Spider-Person there is a very wounded person who has lost a lot of the people she truly cares about and, rather than make new friends, would rather just keep people at arm’s length instead. Indeed it is an exemplary performance and I can’t wait to see where they take her character next in this franchise. Of course, the hero in any given movie can only truly be as good as the villain that they find themselves going up against. Thankfully that is not an issue here as Liev Schreiber is incredible in the role of Kingpin. Indeed not only does the film actually give us a comic book accurate take on the character, but Schreiber is just genuinely menacing in the part in the best way possible. Out of everyone though perhaps the most unexpected delight for me was none other than Nicolas Cage in the role of Spider-Man Noir. Indeed it is no secret that I have always enjoyed Cage’s work as an actor and here he is both having an absolute blast and is just in top form period as a take on Spider-Man who operates less like your typical web-slinger and more like an enforcer for Edward G. Robinson or James Cagney in one of the gangster movies that the pair made in the 30s/40s right down to utilizing dialogue from that era and just being willing to just punch the heck out of people than webbing them up. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in winning efforts from Chris Pine, Kimiko Glenn, Zoe Kravitz, John Mulaney (who is a blast as Spider-Ham and definitely deserves his own spin-off cartoon show), Lake Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Brian Tyree Henry, Mahershala Ali, the always delightful Lily Tomlin, and a special and emotional role for Stan Lee (who passed away a month before this film’s release) among others it’s clear that this slice of superhero cinema is stacked with talent and each of them manage to make the most of their respective screentime no matter how big or small their overall part in the proceedings may be.
All in all and at the end of the day, I must admit dear reader that the long ago year of 2018 most assuredly gave us our fill of Spidey mayhem between Tom Holland’s appearance in Avengers: Infinity War, the Tom Hardy-led Venom and then at the very end of the year this slice of cinema. With that in mind though, this is most assuredly a perfect example of the concept “saving the best for last” in action. I say that because if I am being honest dear reader I absolutely love the heck out of this movie. To be sure, when I first heard about it I wasn’t entirely sure that they would pull it off, but I can happily say that this movie managed to meet and then completely surpass all of my wildest expectations that I might have had going into the theater. Yes there are some teeny tiny flaws to be found should you look hard enough for them, but when a slice of superhero cinema is this well done do you really want to spend your time doing that? I really don’t think so. Rather, I think it best if you just sit back because you are in for quite the ride with this film and trust me when I say that you are not going to want to miss a single minute of it. Suffice it to say then that when you manage to factor in phenomenal work behind the camera in making this feel less like an animated movie and more like a comic book that has managed to magically come to life as well complete with a poignant and inspiring message to boot as brilliant work in front of the camera by a exceptionally well-chosen cast of players who are all spot-on in their respective roles, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is more than just a rousing tribute to quite possibly one of the most iconic mainstream superheroes of all time. Rather, it is also an incredible ode to the strength of creativity, the limitless power of imagination, and of course a reminder that no matter who we are we all have it within us to be the hero of our own story because with great power comes great responsibility. Make of that true believer what thou will and Excelsior! On a scale of 1-5 I give Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse “2018” a solid 4.5 out of 5.
