Comic Book brought to life - and a genuine masterpiece to boot

Rating: 10/10 (16 June 2019)

I'm not sure if there's anything I can say about this movie that hasn't already been said. That does nothing to change the fact that this is a movie that I haven't been able to get out of the back of my head since I first watched it months ago, nor does having seen it 4 times since then lessen my giddy excitement at the prospect of watching it again and again. But what exactly makes it such a compelling film?
For starters, this film, more so than any other in existence, truly achieves being a comic book brought to life. "Spider-Verse" uses a unique and wholly original blend of 2D and 3D animation that is expressive and artistic, yet actually feels more organic and human than more photorealistic animation. It is a difficult style to describe, but there are many a video on YouTube that go into what exactly it is you're watching, and just how insane the process to achieve it was. Other artistic flourishes, such as Benday Dots, panels, narration boxes, and even intentional miscoloring to replicate printing errors of old comic books, truly capitalize on the best of that medium to give character and narrative nuances that regular film simply can't deliver. The resulting hybrid of mediums is beautiful to behold.
Continuing with the "comic book brought to life" theme, the plot equally reflects the insanity that the best of Marvel's comic books are capable of delivering. "Spider-Verse" takes advantage of the current superhero zeitgeist we're currently in, I think, and it both rewards and plays with our familiarity with Spider-Man and superhero movies in general. This is a film that presents us with the origins of 6 different heroes, 1 villain and his multiple cronies, doppelgangers, and different dimensions - and it all moves along with the confident assurance that the audience can follow along without a problem.
Despite the fantastical nature of everything described above, "Spider-Verse" miraculously manages to remain grounded through its focus on its central character. Rather than swinging with Peter Parker this time, we are introduced to Miles Morales, a mixed Black and Hispanic teenager whose immediate struggles include feeling alienated at his new prep school, and his strict father. Miles is a captivating and charming lead. He is different from Peter Parker in many ways, but interestingly, his earnestness endears him to us the same way most interpretations of Peter do, while this universe's Peter is allowed to evolve in ways that are bold and new for his character. Both characters, along with the rest, are brought to life brilliantly by the talented cast.
By giving us the "idea" of Spider-Man through the fresh eyes of a new character, "Spider-Verse" creates a brilliant and beautiful thematic throughline about what it means to be Spider-Man, which subsequently highlights why the character has been so meaningful to real people for almost 6 decades now. Batman may be popular at least in part due to him being "realistic" and theoretically attainable, but it's Spider-Man who shows us what true heroism is, what it takes, and ultimately how accessible it really is. Chances are you'll never be bitten by a genetically altered spider, but you can still be a hero. You can wear the mask.
"Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" is a certified masterpiece in my eyes: a film that is equal parts zany, serious, hilarious, dramatic, thoughtful, engaging, and inspiring - as well as a film that is endlessly rewarding with both the story it tells, and the artistic expression it uses to tell that story.