WHO IS MILES MORALES?

Rating: 10/10 (4 April 2019)

Longtime fans of Spider-man make up an outrageously large number of people in this world. The box office results for every Spider-man movie have proven that as well as the longevity of the comic book series. But the less than die-hard fans aren't familiar with the name Miles Morales when it comes to the character. They grew up with Peter Parker in comics, cartoons, TV series and movies. So who is Miles Morales?
In 2011 Marvel comics came up with an innovative plan. They were going to relaunch their mainstay comics into a new universe called the Ultimate Marvel universe. They wouldn't get rid of the ongoing series but would create this new one for young readers just coming into comics at the time. This would mean they would have their own Marvel heroes without the baggage of decades of stories to catch up on. These new series were a success and among them was a new Spider-man, Miles Morales. It was inevitable that he would show up on film and SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDERVERSE offers a fantastic introduction to the character as well as bringing in the classic.
The film takes place in this new Marvel universe where young Miles Morales lives. His father Jefferson Davis is a police officer who isn't keen on Spider-man. Miles dreams of becoming a graffiti artist. While his father isn't keen on the idea his Uncle Aaron is and takes him to an abandoned subway tunnel to use as his canvas. While there Miles is bitten by the inevitable radioactive spider and the following day he begins to show signs of his spider powers.
Returning to the tunnel to find out what happened to him, Miles discovers that Wilson Fisk has created an accelerator that will allow him to move through different dimensions, his goal being to reunite with his wife and daughter, killed in a car crash while he was escaping from Spider-man. But Spider-man is there to stop him, fighting his henchmen Green Goblin and Prowler. Miles has to step in to help and the original Spider-man (at least here) is killed but not before he gives Miles a USB device and tells him to use it to stop Fisk.
After the funeral of Spider-man, Miles buys a costume of the hero and tries to use his powers. At the graveside he runs into someone else there to pay his respects who seems like a bum. This is Peter Parker (our Spider-man) whose been brought over from his dimension. After being chased by the police, Miles and Peter begin talking. Peter agrees to help train Miles while at the same time attempting to get himself in shape again. But they aren't alone.
It appears the accelerator while turned on for a small amount of time not only brought Peter here but several other versions of Spider-man from various other dimensions as well. Now this group of heroes, alternate versions of the same character from different dimensions, must unite to fix the dimensional portal that Fisk has created, get themselves back to their own worlds and close the door behind them never to be used again. Easier said than done.
The movie is an amazing thing to watch visually, done in computer animation with such skill that within moments you're not aware you're watching an animated film. The story is so engaging that it doesn't matter. It's a solid film that stands on its own as a movie without thinking about it being animated. This might be why the film won the Oscar this year for best animated movie.
That depth of story is what makes it so exceptional. We have the usual tale of the secret identity issues that our hero faces as well as the loss that he experiences along the way. Even more so when we learn there are different versions of Spider-man that have all had their share of tragedy. Add to that the fact that this hero isn't a well-trained adult but a teenager learning to cope not only with his powers but life itself and what we have is a well-crafted tale.
I may have spoken too soon by saying you'll get so lost in the story you'll forget it's animated because the animation here is amazing. Not only are the standard scenes of going to class with Miles well done but the chase sequences are a visual feast. Add to that the battle sequences and this is one amazing film.
Don't think of this as a kid's film, even though kids will love it. Think of it as a movie that the whole family can enjoy together. Why? Because that's exactly who will have fun watching this one.