Across The Spider-Verse - What It Means To Be Spider-Man
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Jun. 5, 2023 • By Jason Elhilow
DescriptionA review about Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse and how it gives us a near-perfect sequel and Spider-Man story.
MessageWe recommend watching Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse to form your own opinions about the movie.
Image
Sony/Columbia PicturesIntroductionIn 2018, Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse premiered, with few expectations attached to it. Most predicted that it would be a simple, easy, animated kid's movie about the masked hero. But little did anyone know, the world was about to evolve, and Miles Morales, not Peter Parker, would finally win many over as a truly definitive Spider-Man.
Based on Marvel Comics, written by Phil Lord, and starring Shameik Moore's voice as Morales, the first movie made a massive splash, especially for an animated flick with a budget of only $90 million (it made almost $400 million at the Box Office and earned critical acclaim). Those were some crazy returns, and since there was clearly more story to tell, two sequels were ordered: Across and Beyond The Spider-Verse. And on July 2, 2023, Across The Spider-Verse debuted to the world, which I was lucky enough to see. To say the least, it lives up to the first one; if anything, it may beat it.
Without spoiling too much, the beautiful animation, intimate storytelling, and respect for the source material of Into The Spider-Verse are all present and correct in this newest installment, delivering something that Sony/Columbia Pictures have been doing good on recently: creating amazing Spider-Man tales. Between the wonders of the multiverse, to the woes of the world, to the pure struggles of Spider-Man infused into the character by Stan Lee and company decades ago, this second Spider-Verse tells a damn great superhero story, never mind a generally good one. It shows the magic, proves the magic, that these modern-day legends and tales can tell, letting an audience peer into a world that seems almost impossible, yet in every way reflects ours. So, let's jump into the Spider-Verse, move across it, and go beyond the bounds of this film, exploring why it is so perfect.
The StoryAcross picks up where Into left off, with Miles continually adjusting to his life as Spider-Man. He is joined by Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), and other variants as they work to stop The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a new villain in town created after the events of the previous movie. The Spot is a master of teleportation, using his abilities to travel throughout the multiverse to gain more and more power. This poses a slight threat, but we quickly learn that the real enemy is the Spider Society, who protects the multiverse from unraveling, and who Morales works with to capture the faux antagonist. The spider that bit Miles came from an alternate universe, meaning that he was never meant to be Spider-Man, and that there is a universe out there without one. This makes him an "anomaly" and a threat to the Spider-Verse as a whole, as this, along with wanting to save someone he loves from certain death, breaks from the "Canon Events" that all Spider-People must go through. Every Spidey needs an Uncle Ben, every Spidey has a love interest, every Spidey loses a captain, and since Miles' father is about to become a police captain, this sends him into a spiral. So the Society chases him, including friends like Gwen and Peter, acting as an ultimate betrayal for the sake of protecting the multiverse; acting as a proctor for the question of sacrificing one life for the lives of many. That is the complexity of the story, that is the seriousness that it takes. Of course, there is much more, but I don't want to spoil it all, because I truly believe this is better seen than read. But, to say the least, the drama and severity and self-awareness of this picture is perfect, allowing you to become invested no matter your status as a fan. Regardless, I talked about visuals earlier, and those lead to my next point: the movie is freaking gorgeous.
The AnimationA comic book coming to life is the best way to describe this movie. The rough-around-the-edges style and flashy coloring forces your eyes to watch and be mesmerized. There really is no choice but to gleefully stare at the screen, similar to its 2018 counterpart.
Now, I'm no expert in the process of animation, but it is quite clear why it took so many years to make this film. It seems to have taken hundreds of hours and probably thousands of artists, and when I say artists, I mean it. Each place throughout The Spider-Verse has a unique style; every frame is a masterpiece, and nothing dares to look alike. There is a seeming blend of 3D, 2D, CG, cel animation, stop motion, and whatever else you dare to think of. It's wild.
Spider-Verse proves that animation is something much more than a genre; it is a medium to tell beautiful, amazing, and unique stories for all ages. The Web Head has always had a stake in the live-action space, but it is clear that the character can work just as wonderfully, if not better, in the drawn/sculpted worlds molded by creatives. Split screening, zooming camera work, the little info cards that pop up every once and a while; visually, Across The Spider-Verse is just drenching with the vision of real artisans, and is nothing like the safely played products shown all too regularly in theaters. The animation alone makes it a piece of art. But there's more, as truly, one thing pushes it past being okay or a pale imitation of the past: it understands who Spider-Man is.
Spider-Man PerfectionWhen watching Across The Spider-Verse, the narrative may seem confusing at first (the movie is well over two hours long, so a lot happens). But when you boil it down, when you think about it, it's simple: Miles Morales has to learn how to make his own future. Over and over, whether by his parents, or Spider-Man 2099, or even his mentor B. Parker, Miles is told that he needs to go a certain direction in his life; that everything is inevitable. This struggle, caused by the information learned after joining the Spider Society, brings in the question of fate, of controlling destiny, and whether or not this is possible. That, along with the fact that being Spider-Man sacrifices his life as a normal teen and vice-versa, is the precipice of what the character is about. Hardships, woes, the pain of poor financials or terrible grades; these are always part of this character, regardless if it's Miles, Peter, Gwen, or so on. Spider-Verse does this perfectly, and the only other movie to do so is the 2004 film Spider-Man 2, which is a masterpiece in its own right. To put it simply, no matter how wacky or seemingly insane the plot or villain is, there is always that human anchor that everyone can relate to. That is what it does perfectly; that is why it is Spider-Man perfection, as Miles struggles and struggles to balance the expectations of his parents, his relationship with Gwen, his grades at school, his responsibilities as Spider-Man, and being the savior/destroyer of the multiverse. It's insane, but it works, because they ground him right into the lives that almost all of us live/have lived, even if the circumstances are a bit crazier.
ConclusionTo conclude things, Across The Spider-Verse is a fantastic film. It has emotion, it bears maturity, it shows the struggles of being Spider-Man. The story is raw, the animation is mesmerizing, and the experience of seeing it in theaters is beyond immersive. Honestly, and this may not mean much to some, but I would be willing to see it again in the cinema, just because the wait for it to release on digital is painfully far away. It is easily the best superhero movie I have reviewed, and may be one of my favorites of all time. Though even looking at it objectively, this movie undeniably has heart, something lacking in almost everything released today. So revel in that, feel the resilience of Peter Parker or Miles Morales or whoever is wearing that spider-like suit. Because Spider-Man is more than one person, more than just a measly hero: Spider-Man is everyone who has ever been knocked down by life at every turn, yet still gets up every single time; Spider-Man is everyone who helps someone cross the street or pulls someone out of a fire. Spider-Man is everyone, can be anyone, which this movie seems to get beyond any other. That is what it means to be Spider-Man, and that is what makes Spider-Verse so perfect.
Based on Marvel Comics, written by Phil Lord, and starring Shameik Moore's voice as Morales, the first movie made a massive splash, especially for an animated flick with a budget of only $90 million (it made almost $400 million at the Box Office and earned critical acclaim). Those were some crazy returns, and since there was clearly more story to tell, two sequels were ordered: Across and Beyond The Spider-Verse. And on July 2, 2023, Across The Spider-Verse debuted to the world, which I was lucky enough to see. To say the least, it lives up to the first one; if anything, it may beat it.
Without spoiling too much, the beautiful animation, intimate storytelling, and respect for the source material of Into The Spider-Verse are all present and correct in this newest installment, delivering something that Sony/Columbia Pictures have been doing good on recently: creating amazing Spider-Man tales. Between the wonders of the multiverse, to the woes of the world, to the pure struggles of Spider-Man infused into the character by Stan Lee and company decades ago, this second Spider-Verse tells a damn great superhero story, never mind a generally good one. It shows the magic, proves the magic, that these modern-day legends and tales can tell, letting an audience peer into a world that seems almost impossible, yet in every way reflects ours. So, let's jump into the Spider-Verse, move across it, and go beyond the bounds of this film, exploring why it is so perfect.
The StoryAcross picks up where Into left off, with Miles continually adjusting to his life as Spider-Man. He is joined by Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), Miguel O'Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), and other variants as they work to stop The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a new villain in town created after the events of the previous movie. The Spot is a master of teleportation, using his abilities to travel throughout the multiverse to gain more and more power. This poses a slight threat, but we quickly learn that the real enemy is the Spider Society, who protects the multiverse from unraveling, and who Morales works with to capture the faux antagonist. The spider that bit Miles came from an alternate universe, meaning that he was never meant to be Spider-Man, and that there is a universe out there without one. This makes him an "anomaly" and a threat to the Spider-Verse as a whole, as this, along with wanting to save someone he loves from certain death, breaks from the "Canon Events" that all Spider-People must go through. Every Spidey needs an Uncle Ben, every Spidey has a love interest, every Spidey loses a captain, and since Miles' father is about to become a police captain, this sends him into a spiral. So the Society chases him, including friends like Gwen and Peter, acting as an ultimate betrayal for the sake of protecting the multiverse; acting as a proctor for the question of sacrificing one life for the lives of many. That is the complexity of the story, that is the seriousness that it takes. Of course, there is much more, but I don't want to spoil it all, because I truly believe this is better seen than read. But, to say the least, the drama and severity and self-awareness of this picture is perfect, allowing you to become invested no matter your status as a fan. Regardless, I talked about visuals earlier, and those lead to my next point: the movie is freaking gorgeous.
The AnimationA comic book coming to life is the best way to describe this movie. The rough-around-the-edges style and flashy coloring forces your eyes to watch and be mesmerized. There really is no choice but to gleefully stare at the screen, similar to its 2018 counterpart.
Now, I'm no expert in the process of animation, but it is quite clear why it took so many years to make this film. It seems to have taken hundreds of hours and probably thousands of artists, and when I say artists, I mean it. Each place throughout The Spider-Verse has a unique style; every frame is a masterpiece, and nothing dares to look alike. There is a seeming blend of 3D, 2D, CG, cel animation, stop motion, and whatever else you dare to think of. It's wild.
Spider-Verse proves that animation is something much more than a genre; it is a medium to tell beautiful, amazing, and unique stories for all ages. The Web Head has always had a stake in the live-action space, but it is clear that the character can work just as wonderfully, if not better, in the drawn/sculpted worlds molded by creatives. Split screening, zooming camera work, the little info cards that pop up every once and a while; visually, Across The Spider-Verse is just drenching with the vision of real artisans, and is nothing like the safely played products shown all too regularly in theaters. The animation alone makes it a piece of art. But there's more, as truly, one thing pushes it past being okay or a pale imitation of the past: it understands who Spider-Man is.
Spider-Man PerfectionWhen watching Across The Spider-Verse, the narrative may seem confusing at first (the movie is well over two hours long, so a lot happens). But when you boil it down, when you think about it, it's simple: Miles Morales has to learn how to make his own future. Over and over, whether by his parents, or Spider-Man 2099, or even his mentor B. Parker, Miles is told that he needs to go a certain direction in his life; that everything is inevitable. This struggle, caused by the information learned after joining the Spider Society, brings in the question of fate, of controlling destiny, and whether or not this is possible. That, along with the fact that being Spider-Man sacrifices his life as a normal teen and vice-versa, is the precipice of what the character is about. Hardships, woes, the pain of poor financials or terrible grades; these are always part of this character, regardless if it's Miles, Peter, Gwen, or so on. Spider-Verse does this perfectly, and the only other movie to do so is the 2004 film Spider-Man 2, which is a masterpiece in its own right. To put it simply, no matter how wacky or seemingly insane the plot or villain is, there is always that human anchor that everyone can relate to. That is what it does perfectly; that is why it is Spider-Man perfection, as Miles struggles and struggles to balance the expectations of his parents, his relationship with Gwen, his grades at school, his responsibilities as Spider-Man, and being the savior/destroyer of the multiverse. It's insane, but it works, because they ground him right into the lives that almost all of us live/have lived, even if the circumstances are a bit crazier.
ConclusionTo conclude things, Across The Spider-Verse is a fantastic film. It has emotion, it bears maturity, it shows the struggles of being Spider-Man. The story is raw, the animation is mesmerizing, and the experience of seeing it in theaters is beyond immersive. Honestly, and this may not mean much to some, but I would be willing to see it again in the cinema, just because the wait for it to release on digital is painfully far away. It is easily the best superhero movie I have reviewed, and may be one of my favorites of all time. Though even looking at it objectively, this movie undeniably has heart, something lacking in almost everything released today. So revel in that, feel the resilience of Peter Parker or Miles Morales or whoever is wearing that spider-like suit. Because Spider-Man is more than one person, more than just a measly hero: Spider-Man is everyone who has ever been knocked down by life at every turn, yet still gets up every single time; Spider-Man is everyone who helps someone cross the street or pulls someone out of a fire. Spider-Man is everyone, can be anyone, which this movie seems to get beyond any other. That is what it means to be Spider-Man, and that is what makes Spider-Verse so perfect.
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