Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Columbia/Action-Adventure RT: 117 minutes Rated PG (frenetic sequences of animated action violence, thematic elements, mild language) Director: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman Screenplay: Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman Music: Daniel Pemberton Release date: December 14, 2018 (US) Cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, Zoe Kravitz, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Nicolas Cage, Kathryn Hahn, Liev Schreiber, Chris Pine, Lake Bell, Natalie Morales, Stan Lee. Box Office: $190.2M (US)/$384.3M (World)
Rating: ****
I originally intended to begin my review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse by talking about my general lack of interest in animated superhero movies. Then I thought “Why bother?” Seriously, is it even relevant? They’re strictly for fanboys (and girls). I’m referring, of course, to the ones that get released straight to DVD. I’ve seen a few, but they don’t do anything for me. HOWEVER, none of this matters in the slightest because the computer-animated Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is next-level material. It’s also one of the year’s best films. I know, I can’t believe it either.
Although produced by Marvel Entertainment, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is NOT part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In other words, don’t expect any of Spidey’s Avenger pals to lend a helping hand in his latest fight. Previous Spider-Man films are alluded to (the writers take a great potshot at 2007’s Spider-Man 3), but Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a stand-alone deal. It subscribes to the multiverse theory. There are an infinite number of universes. Each universe has its own version of Spider-Man. The universe depicted in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is about to get a new webslinger.
Meet Miles Morales (Moore, The Get Down), a 14YO from Brooklyn with a special knack for graffiti art, something that doesn’t fly with his policeman father (Henry, Atlanta). HIs parents expect great things from him especially since he was recently accepted into an exclusive boarding school. Miles hates his new school; his classmates are snobby and elitist. That is, except for the new girl at school Gwen (Steinfeld, Bumblebee). She’s cool; she even laughs at his jokes. Miles likes her but, like every teenage boy, gets all nervous and clumsy around her. The only one who seems to get him is his Uncle Aaron (Ali, Green Book) who encourages him to follow his passion. This is what leads to Miles getting bitten by a radioactive spider and gaining superpowers.
Want to talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time? While trying to figure out what happened to him, Miles stumbles across a secret underground facility where megalomaniacal crime lord Kingpin/Wilson Fisk (Schreiber, Ray Donovan) has opened a hole in the space-time continuum with a super collider/particle accelerator device. Spider-Man shows up to deal with the matter and is killed by Fisk in the process.
It falls to Miles to be the new Spider-Man. He just needs somebody to show him the ropes. That somebody is Peter B. Parker (Johnson, New Girl). This Peter Parker is an older, more jaded Spider-Man that the one we know and love. You see, when Fisk opened that hole, it brought several Spider-beings from other universes into this one. Yes, Spider-beings, plural. It turns out that Gwen, last name Stacy, is Spider-Woman where she comes from. There’s Spider-Noir (Cage, Con Air), a hard-boiled detective type from a 1930s-era film noir-like universe. There’s the perky, anime-inspired Peni Parker (Glenn, Orange Is the New Black) with her biomechanical suit “SP//dr”. And last but certainly not least, there’s a hammy animated pig named Spider-Ham/Peter Porker (comedian Mulaney). Since it would be fatal for them to remain in this universe, Miles must send them back to their own before destroying Fisk’s device. This is in addition to figuring out how to control his new powers which include invisibility and shocking his opponents by touch.
I’ll grant that superhero movies are fun. As cynical a moviegoer as I may be, I find many of them quite enjoyable. 2018 has been pretty good for the genre with Black Panther and Incredibles 2. I know, it’s Pixar not Marvel, but it still counts in my book. Well, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse outdoes all of them. Directors Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman breathe fresh life into a genre that threatens to become stale through oversaturation. Look at this summer’s megahit Avengers: Infinity War. It should have been more epic than it actually was. It felt like it was operating on autopilot most of the time. That is so NOT the case with Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It feels, for lack of a better term, brand new.
It’s all in the presentation, my friends. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is fresh and (dare I say?) original yet remains faithful to the characters’ different forms and mythologies. It knows when to be jokey and when not to be. The writing team of Phil Lord (The LEGO Movie) and Rodney Rothman have fun referencing other versions of Spider-Man for comedic effect. They also take the time to describe the origins of each new Spider-person (and pig). At times, it’s riotously funny. Mulaney and Cage get off the best lines. Other times, it’s a truly exciting superhero adventure. It’s exciting and filled with action. The plot is simple enough but never seems dumbed down. Even those unfamiliar with the character’s different incarnations will find it easy to follow.
Visually, Spider-an: Into the Spider-Verse is truly a sight to behold. The computer-animation is top-of-the-line, first-rate, grade-A prime, solid-as-a-rock work. It hews closely to comic book imagery complete with panels and dialogue bubbles. I would even say it has a trippy, dream-like quality to it. It reminded me of the nights I’d stay up past my bedtime reading Spider-Man comics at age 7. The movie brims with color, energy and vibrancy without even overwhelming the viewer. It’s the antithesis of the CGI-heavy SAVs (Sensory Assault Vehicles) constantly churned out by the studios. The exciting climax is a psychedelic explosion of color, sound and movement. This movie is a dazzling piece of work.
The voice talents in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse do a terrific job. Moore voices Miles with heart, soul and intelligence. Johnson is the perfect choice for a grumpy, jaded, world-weary Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man still hurting over his split from Mary Jane. Steinfeld is great as Gwen Stacy, a rocker chick oozing with cool appeal. Schreiber sounds like he’s having fun playing the literal heavy (Kingpin is HUGE!). Other voices in the cast include Lily Tomlin (9 to 5) as Aunt Mae and Kathryn Hahn (Bad Moms) as a scientist with a familiar surname. By the way, the Stan Lee cameo is great! It’s a fitting tribute to the late Marvel Universe creator who died last month at 95. BTW, be sure to stick around for a nifty end credits scene.
I can’t praise Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. It really is a great film. It hits all the right notes. Its sense of fun is not at all forced. The characters play well off one another. They actually feel like real people as opposed to drawings on a page. This is the movie to take the kids to see this holiday season after you’ve already seen The Grinch and Ralph Breaks the Internet. Take it from your friendly neighborhood Movie Guy, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is AWESOME!
