The Best Spiderman Venture in Years

Rating: 9/10 (16 December 2018)

If there's one notable superhero with a very hit or miss track record when it comes to their film adaptations, it has to be Marvel's iconic Spider-Man. Whether they be the right blend of goofiness and emotional drama with Sam Raimi's trilogy, or the embarrassingly lackluster Amazing Spider-Man series, the web slinging hero has been through as many duds as successes. However, there has never really been an animated feature with this hero or any incarnations....until now. Ever since the first trailer dropped last year, the buzz for this particular film blew up, mainly due to it focusing on a new Spider-Man, Brooklyn teenager Miles Morales. After finally seeing it, I can officially confirm that the wait was beyond worth it.
The main storyline revolves around Miles Morales becoming the next Spiderman after getting bitten by a radioactive spider. However, the evil Kingpin creates a portal to other universes that goes haywire and ends up pulling distinct versions of Spider-Man into Miles' world. Upon meeting Peter Parker, Miles now has to take Kingpin down and bring those incarnations back. With all that said, the film rests on Miles' shoulders to lead, and he is one hell of a protagonist. Alongside being very likable, the film does a great job of establishing his relationships, personality and even emotions. I also like how he only grows accustomed to his powers after many trials and tribulations with all the craziness going around. Even his interactions with Peter Parker feel like that of an apprentice learning from a master, they're so much fun to watch.
In addition, the film happens to be a great blend of self referential humor and emotional drama. Screenwriters Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman cram in plenty of in-jokes for hardcore Spider-Man fans in a subtle manner without losing newcomers, making them feel connected within the narrative. As for the emotional weight, it stems from Miles' different bonds between his father and uncle Aaron, and both are well woven into the plot. There are even scenes with the two around Miles that one would never expect from a film like this. For a film with several villains, they all have just enough screen time to be memorable, especially Kingpin, mainly because his reasons behind making the portal are more elaborate than first assumed. Never has a superhero film managed to squeeze in the right amount of humor and pathos to work well as a part comedy and part drama since The Incredibles and The Lego Batman Movie.
As for the other characters, Peter Parker is established as the pessimistic hero turned failure, yet his relation with Miles gains him more confidence to get back into the swing of things (no pun intended). Throughout the film, we really feel for the guy and want him to succeed as much as Miles, making him come off as a sympathetic albeit charismatic mentor. Gwen Stacy is also appropriately placed within the film's narrative, as rather than being a Mary Sue, she plays as a voice of reason to Miles and hopes the best for him, like a real partner should do. As for the multiple dimensions featured, there's the 1930s serious dramatic Spider-Noir, the goofy and comical Spider-Ham, and the bubbly anime girl Peni Parker. While not given as much attention as Miles and Peter, they still end up stealing the show with their distinct quirks and charm, and their voice actors, especially Nic Cage, bring them to life as much as the script and animators do. It's rare when a film is able to squeeze in so many characters yet still manages to give them enough presence to leave an impact.
Lastly, the animation is incredibly versatile, vivid, colorful and even grim, really emulating the feel of a graphic comic book. The characters are all uniquely designed based on their appearance and personality, especially the Spider-Man incarnations looking distinct based on their physical appearance. Spider-Noir is black & white with shadows all around, Spider-Ham is very cartoony and bouncy, and Peni Parker is every anime girl ever made cranked up to 11. Not to mention, the action scenes are fantastically well directed, as the stakes really rise up with a lot of well choreographed fighting moves and a briskly paced flow. It's also worth praising how the film conveys its emotions through the color scheme depending on the scene, saying way more than any amount of dialogue ever could. My only issue with the animation is that it can look a little blurry at times, but that's more of a nitpick as it's intentionally built that way.
Overall, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has got to be my absolute favorite addition in the Spiderman film franchise. It also might be the most imaginative and innovative comic book film on screen in years thanks to its wonderful stylistic choices, humorous antics, well woven drama, and characters you will never forget. If you are yet to see this, please give this film as much support as you can, it's definitely a blast to sit through. We rarely get superhero films like this nowadays, so giving it the attention it deserves will mean more sequels and huge cult status for years to come. Sony Pictures Animation has only scratched the surface with what Miles Morales can do, so here's to more great adventures with the new up and coming Spider-Man in the future.