There are no words to describe how you’re going to feel when the credits roll in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. You may feel sad that it’s over when all you wanted was to stay with these characters longer. You may feel happy because you just watched one of the greatest superhero movies in recent memory. No matter how you feel, you’ll be elated about Marvel’s new animated superhero film about Miles Morales/Spider-Man (Shameik Moore) going on another adventure across the multiverse. This movie is something special, and you’re going to have to see it to believe it.
This sequel to 2018’s splendid Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse had big shoes to fill. Its predecessor won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, so reaching the heights of something like that seems unattainable. The trio of directors on the original film are all replaced by Joaquim Dos Santos (Avatar: The Last Airbender), Kemp Powers (Soul), and Justin K. Thompson in his first directorial credit. The screenplay is written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The LEGO Movie, 21 Jump Street) alongside David Callaham (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Mortal Kombat). With this team onboard, they knew how not to disappoint.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse does to Into the Spider-Verse what The Empire Strikes Back did to Star Wars. It takes the characters that were set up in the original and expands upon them all, taking things in a darker direction while bringing in new characters. The film opens with more backstory for Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld). Her story was hinted at in the previous film, but she gets expanded upon with her upsetting relationship with her father. Although her backstory is familiar to fans of the Spider-Man character, it is always heartwrenching.
We then see how Miles has adapted to his life as Spider-Man. Similar to what we saw with Peter Parker in Spider-Man 2 (2004), Miles is struggling to balance his dual life as a student and a web-slinging vigilante. He is constantly late for events, leading to confusion and suspicion from his parents. He cannot be honest with who he is, and as a result, his family does not understand what he is going through. Being Spider-Man comes with a gripping moral dilemma that Miles needs to figure out. However, he does not have time to figure himself out, because pretty soon, he is visited by Gwen, and the adventure begins.
This movie brings in some newcomers. After his tease in the after-credits scene of Into the Spider-Verse, this movie brings in Oscar Isaac as Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099. He’s a hardened leader of the Spider-Society, a group of Spider-People who protect the multiverse. He doesn’t have a sense of humor, and his actions can be antagonistic, but his intentions, like all Spider-Men, are to keep the world safe. Isaac previously played Moon Knight in the MCU, but he’s not the only Marvel royalty joining the film as a newcomer. This movie also features Daniel Kaluuya as Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk after he previously played W’Kabi in Black Panther. It also has Karan Soni as Pavitr Prabhakar/Spider-Man India, who played Dopinder in the Deadpool movies.
The casting choices in this movie are fantastic. One of the highlights is Jason Schwartzman as Dr. Jonathan Ohnn/The Spot, a villain who begins as a humorously incompetent one and then ends up as a formidable threat. He has the power to create portals, and as the saying goes, with great power comes great physical comedy. He may not have enough screen time or the presence of Kingpin in the previous film, but there is a lot The Spot can do. The film features no shortage of characters, and there are easter eggs for eagle-eyed fanatics of all Spider-Man media. You’ll see a few familiar faces in this one, and there’s a lot for the Marvel super-fans to enjoy.
But you can’t think about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse without thinking about the colorful, vibrant animation. This is one of the most visually gorgeous films of the year. It is a unique feast for the eyes, offering Marvel’s biggest achievement in animation yet. Although 3D computer animation has become the norm, it is fresh to see movies like this and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish take full advantage of the animation medium. There are show-stopping sequences in this film that look like watercolor paintings, and everything matches with a touching, emotionally heartfelt story grounded in the relationships between family members.
This movie has mind-blowing action, comic book-style animation, and it genuinely feels like the gold standard of superhero cinema. This movie will have you talking through the credits, as it leaves you wanting more in the best possible way. It blends its perfectly written humor with its darker themes about the tragic fates that every Spider-Man must endure. You care so much about these characters that every cut runs deep, and the film may leave you breathless with its twists and turns by the end. Some may love this even more than the original. Although others may wish the ending was more finite, everyone who watches this will be there as soon as possible for the next movie, which may close out the potential greatest superhero trilogy of all time.
SCORE: 9/10
As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.
Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review.
