Yep, I'm finally reviewing this year's Academy Award win for Best Animated Feature! As much as it's fun to, well, make fun of Sony and their questionable filmography, this Spider-Man reimagining had much promise after the trailers were released and because of Phil Lord and Chris Miller's involvement (not as directors), even when its announcement was leaked during the 2014 Sony hack and Disney had brought Spider-Man over to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Undoubtedly an icon in every medium, a new take on Spider-Man couldn't have come at a better time following his adventures in Avengers: Infinity War (which didn't turn out too well), the PS4 game garnering acclaim, his animated series still going strong and Venom being a box office smash even with its unintentionally hilarious content. As for my exposure to your friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man, I've seen the Sam Raimi trilogy, bits of The Amazing Spider-Man films on TV and was aware of Miles Morales' existence as Peter's successor in an alternate universe. Beating the likes of Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs and Ralph Breaks The Internet, can the web slingers prove why they deserved that Oscar, or should Sony give the rights back to Marvel and let them get on with making Spider-Man movies? Let's take a look!
Story: The most basic question this movie asks is who and what make Spider-Man? The answer? Well, anyone. Whether you're aware of the entire Spider-verse or just know the basics of Peter Parker's life, this movie accommodates to fans and newcomers without feeling repetitive or redundant as it never forgets this is a Miles Morales story. Yes, it takes the new kid being taught by a jaded mentor route, but in a world where every mainstream Spider-Man movie has been about a young and geeky Peter Parker juggling his heroics and school life, this typical coming of age plot teaches Miles and the audience that his own take when wearing the mask is what makes him Spider-Man. The writers understand through this main plot and the other incarnations who join Miles that Spider-Man ultimately acts as a symbol for doing the right thing regardless of method, best exemplified through a speech by Mary Jane. Filled with fun action scenes (which I'll explain more in the animation section), balance out well enough and pacing. The subplots would've been easy to wing as we've seen them God knows how many times i.e. the disapproving & tough dad who really cares about their child, the downfall before the final act because the protagonist still isn't ready & the jaded mentor learning to love their job again, but the characters and their relationships all feel genuine and lead to some very heartwarming and tearjerking moments. But that's not to say that there's no the humour to the proceedings. Far from it, actually. Never afraid to poke fun at itself (including the infamous emo dance from Spider-Man 3), it ranges from the smallest easter eggs for eagle-eye viewers to hilarious one-liners, physical comedy & subverting cliches. Clearly made by people who know and adore Spider-Man, putting a refreshing twist on an old concept was probably the best way to welcome Miles Morales.
Animation: So how do I put this...? The animation is pretty much every animation student's orgasm. Taking two years to come up with the film's aesthetic alone, to call it amazing is an understatement. Every single frame has incredible attention to detail in the way they create a comic book feeling. With text boxes, speed lines, sound effects and frozen panels, they create something familiar and new when put on film. However, that's nothing compared to the character designs and animation. Whether it's Peni Parker's anime and manga influences, Spider-Gwen's world being taken directly from Robbi Rodriguez's comic designs or Spider-Ham's Looney Tunes style antics, they somehow blend together while remaining unique and feels refreshing compared to the more realistic aesthetics of CGI films nowadays. However, the best element of the character animation is the action (honourable mention to the kaleidoscopic final battle). Each fight scene is so slick and fast paced that you'll want to replay it just to appreciate every little move put in whether it's Gwen's ballerina inspired fighting skills or just fighting in a place as mundane as Aunt May's house. The choice to animate certain scenes and characters on twos instead of on ones (12 frames per second instead of the traditional 24) also subtly add to the characters, along with the choice to smear instead of use motion blur also call attention to the comic book feeling. If I had one very tiny problem which doesn't really matter in the grand scale, it's the times where the backgrounds would blur to focus on the foreground (refer to the image of Peter above), feeling a bit disorientating. I'm aware of the intentions behind it to show the mistakes in comic printing, but it can feel like watching a 3D film without the glasses. When Sony of all companies is capable of using the kind of animation I expected Disney to do following their Paperman short in their theatrical movies, you know they've stepped up the mark.
Characters: Just to warn you that this section will be MUCH longer than average as there's so much to unpack both in quantity and quality. Saying that, have I already mentioned how relieved I am that Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) finally has his own movie? Unlike the typical arc of "when great power comes great responsibility", Miles' is about his doubts in living up to his predecessor as Spider-Man and expressing the potential his dad expects from him when admitted into a prestigious school. Both make him easily relateable as his down to earth and socially relaxed demeanour make him stand out from Peter Parker along with expressing himself through graffiti art and music. Despite all the villains out to get him and risk of losing his family, it's clear that the one person standing in his way is himself, culminating in the iconic leap of faith scene as he realizes he shouldn't imitate Peter. Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) or as the internet has been calling him Hot Dad Bod Peter (what? No one else saying how hot he is despite his beer gut?) is easily the most refreshing take on the character next to the PS4 game. Older and jaded after Aunt May dying and divorcing Mary Jane (Zoe Kravitz) due to his fear of having kids, his role as Miles's unwilling mentor leads to some great chemistry and funny banter between the two as he gradually gets his spark back of being Spider-Man, which in turn reveals his paternal side. Although it would've been fun to see Tobey Maguire reprise the role like originally planned, Johnson's performance brings the right amount of humour and charisma we know from Peter while matured. That's not to say Miles's Peter Parker (Chris Pine in one of the best kept secrets in the marketing) is bad, as his tragic death and love for his heroics show how beloved he was in New York and is the catalyst for Miles' arc, adding that his willingness to train Miles was what caused him to ask the alternate version of Peter to do the same. Gwen Stacy AKA Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld) is another refreshing take on a beloved character having been one the most popular incarnations in the comics. The one to be bitten by a radioactive spider and not Peter's tragic love interest in her universe (long story short, he's her world's equivalent of The Lizard), she's a more closed off and level-headed teen having lost her best friend and develops a sweet relationship with Miles which may grow into something more. Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn), Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage in the perfect casting), and comic relief Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) with no relation to The Simpsons Movie's Spider-Pig like I admittedly first assumed before a quick google search proved me wrong, don't have as much development in the group, but their unique designs, personalities and strong voice acting all the more make up for it, especially when they all get their fair share of emotional scenes. Yep, even Spider-Ham. Oh, and for those upset that Spider-Man 2099 AKA Miguel O'Hara didn't appear, wait until the end credits.
Kingpin AKA Wilson Fisk (Liev Schreiber) is the main antagonist in this instalment and can feel like a real threat. Wanting to open the Super Collider to bring alternate versions of wife Vanessa (Lake Bell) and son Richard (younger in this version compared to Daredevil) to his universe to replace the ones he lost after they discovered his villainy, his moments remembering his family avoid him coming off as one dimensional. The other villains like Green Goblin, Tombstone, and especially Doc Ock (Kathryn Hahn in one of the most unique and fun takes) all without feeling irrelevant or purely for fanservice. It is funny how it manages to include tons of villains without feeling overcrowded (*coughs* Amazing Spider-Man 2 *coughs*). Although Kingpin is a good antagonist with the high stakes he causes, the most interesting villain for me would be Prowler AKA Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali who can do no wrong). Despite his affiliation with Kingpin, criminal background and estrangement from his brother, his relationship with his nephew is pretty sweet and it's intriguing genuinely conflicted when he finds out he's now Spider-Man. And speaking of family, officer Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) fills in the non super-villain Spider-Man hater role, but given his job protecting the city and concern for his son, it is understandable and when he gets through to his son despite his tougher methods. while his mother Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) is a nurse who encourages Miles not to run away from his problems. Adding more to the family roster, this film's Aunt May (Lily Tomlin) is easily the most badass depiction of the character so far, aware of Peter's double life and keeps various Spider-Man memorabilia in her shed which helps Miles later on. While Mary Jane appears a couple of scenes, she feels more akin to her comic counterpart and surprisingly has more personality in roughly two minutes of screen time compared to the entire Sam Raimi trilogy given that she's grieving for her husband's death and inadvertently motivates Peter B. to mend his relationship with his MJ when he returns home.
You seriously didn't think I'd write this review without mentioning Stan Lee's cameo, did you? Unforgettable, funny and ironically poignant, his cameo acts as a motivation to Miles' arc when he buys a Spider-Man costume following his Peter's death. A cameo not even the filmmakers could've anticipated, it encapsulates the sorrow fans felt during Lee's passing and the legacy he left behind. This legacy is why all of these characters are so beloved, and seeing them brought to life in a new way is why this movie is so captivating in quantity and quality.
After sweeping the Razzies with The Emoji Movie last year, I think it's safe to say Sony finally got a break. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse isn't just one of the best Spider-Man animated projects nor one of best (if not THE best) Spider-Man movie, but I think arguably one of the best superhero movies ever. With groundbreaking animation destined to revolutionise the industry, lovable characters with refreshing spins and very solid performances and a story which can relate to anyone, it's one that's worth all the hype. I think it's safe to say that this movie and Arthur Christmas show that Sony can work when they have the right people on board who put effort into their craft. If you're a die hard Spider-Man fan or want to check out something different to the CGI heavy big budget Marvel and DC films dominating cinema, then check this out immediately. Oh yeah, and check out the Christmas album if you want another laugh out of this movie With the announced sequel, TV show and female led spin-off announced, I'm very intrigued and excited to see how Sony will expand the Spider-Verse.
Story: 10/10
Animation: 10/10
Characters: 10/10
Overall: 10/10
