Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review.

Stan would be proud.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse needed to deliver for me. Spider-Man is my super hero. Tobey Maguire was my childhood Spider-Man. When I was a kid the first video game I ever bought was Spider-Man 2. My prized possession was my Spider-Man t-shirt which I wore far too many times. Me and my friends biggest fight ever was Spider-Man related. He wanted to play outside but I was insistent that we watched the dreadful 1977 Spider-Man film. An important note about that story is that we already watched it two times in a row that day. My teenage years were not perfect. In a way it makes sense that Spider-Man wasn’t perfect in those years either. I’ll defend Andrew Garfield’s performance forever but even I can’t excuse the blandness of those films. As I entered adulthood I began to realise what makes me as an individual tick. Coincidentally Spider-Man seemed to have learnt the same lesson. Tom Hollands incarnation of Spidey has been nothing short of perfection. Holland is the Spider-Man which we craved for on screen for years. Gone was Maguires over dorkyness. Gone was the man who way too cool to be considered a nerd. The fans in Holland have the Spider-Man who feels as if he’s been teared off the pages of the comic.  Why did I just spiel off my history with my favourite superhero? After 19 years of being the biggest Spider-Man fanboy in the world. I just witnessed the best Spider-Man film yet.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse tells the story of Miles Morales who after becoming the Spider-Man of his reality must join forces with the Spider-Men of other dimensions to stop a reality ending threat. This film feels like a comic. The animation is unlike any I’ve seen on screen before. The choice to use comic like panels has gifted with a unique film. Visually this is the most beautiful film of the year. There is so much happening on screen it’s impossible to catch it all in one viewing. Every shot of the film is flawless. You’d need to break it down into every frame to take all of it in. Its comic book like in the sense that by examining what is put in front of you, you will be gifted. The characters from all the different dimensions all come with a unique look. This gives Spider-Verse the edge over other superhero ensembles. No character looks the same. Whether in action or standing still they are unique. They sound different. They move different. They even act different. This is the most diverse cast in the sense of both personality and ethnicity I’ve ever seen. I’m not going to go into the plot too much like I normally do because you need to see this knowing as little as possible. All I will say about the plot is that if you love Spider-Man than you will love this. There are Easter Eggs which will light your face up. There are call-backs and references which didn’t think Marvel would have the guts to put on screen. The film will have you laughing, crying, screaming for joy and experiencing every single emotion. Spider-Verse is a wild ride from start to finish.

The casting in this film is what boosts everything surrounding it. Shameik Moore is the glue that holds everything together. His performance as Miles Morales is the best in an origin story I’ve seen in my life. Morales is charming, funny, smart and lovable. He’s the most realistic portrayal of a teenager in film since last year’s Lady Bird. Miles reacts to the madness in his life how I would. The pressure of having to live up to expectations is a major issue for him. The film handles it perfectly. Showing that not everything in life will go as you planned. You need to find out what makes you the person you are. Morales is a character who in terms of brilliance is right up there with the best. The rest of the cast don’t disappoint either. Brian Tyree Henry follows up his fierce Widows performance with one a lot of fathers will relate to. His turn as Miles’ Dad will tug at your heart strings. Jefferson just wants what is best for his boy. The tough love he places on him will ring true to many parents. Sometimes to protect the ones you love you have you can’t be the good guy. Miles’ relationship with his father is one of my favourite things about the film. The relationship felt realer than most seen in Marvel films. I can’t relate to Thor and Odin. Mahershala Ali is one of the best actors in the world today. The man may be the best in the world at this stage. Ali gives another storming performance as Uncle Aaron. Uncle Aaron is the polar opposite of Uncle Ben. It’s refreshing to watch a character look up to someone who they really shouldn’t be looking up to. These characters are all worth the price of admission alone. Let’s be honest. You’re going to this film to see the other dimensions.

To make an animated Spider-Man movie was a smart choice. To make it about Miles Morales was a smarter choice. To the genius who decided to bring in multiple dimensions deserves a noble prize. These characters from the other dimensions are wonderful. Peter Parker (Jake Johnson) is unlike any version we’ve seen before. Johnsons Parker is a down on his luck slob who cries in the shower. Johnson is hysterical in the role. The reluctant teacher student relationship between him and Morales is brilliant. A fun game to play while watching the film is to imagine if Tom Holland’s Spidey turns out like this. Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is in the film too. Thankfully she’s not relegated to forgettable love interest. Steinfeld excels in the role. Her Spiderwoman is arguably the best female superhero we’ve seen on screen yet. Steinfeld is one of the best actresses working today and she’s only 21. If you haven’t seen her in Edge of Seventeen get on that now. It’s no surprise that Gwen Stacey has already been announced to be getting her own film. The more ludicrous versions of Spider-Man are a joy to watch. Spider-Man Noir sees Nicolas Cage acting as an early 1900s detective in 2018. Cage is on top form. Every line he delivers is hysterical. Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) and her robot on paper should be ludicrous but the film makes it work. If nothing is swaying you on seeing this, let me tell you this. Spider-Ham (John Mulaney) could be getting a spin off. If you told me last week that I’d be front line to buy tickets for it I’d call you a fool. Instead I now live in a world where I will be mad as hell if I don’t get more time with Peter Porker.

How this film works is beyond me. This may be the best superhero film of all time. It’s a masterpiece. When you look at the behind the scenes team it makes even less sense to me. The film has 3 directors in Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman.  Between the 3 of them only Ramsey has made a feature before in the forgotten Rise of the Guardians. It seems to me that Sony looked at their other work in Hollywood. Persichetti has worked in the animation department of Shrek 2, Puss in Boots and The Little Prince. Ramsey was a storyboard artist in Sausage Party. Rothman who co-wrote the script with Phil Lord also wrote the Script on 22 Jump Street. Sony hired 2 men who were familiar with how the animation game works and the other being behind one of the funniest scripts of the decade. These 3 men have combined to direct my favourite film of the year. How they pulled this off puzzles me. The script written by Rothman and Lord is genius. It’s the most intelligent script in a comic book film I’ve ever seen. That much I’m confident on. No other comic book movie is this funny, emotional or all-round entertaining. This is a film which we will be talking about for years to come.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is what being a comic book fan is all about. Films like these are why we spend months on end speculating what comes next and arguing about who’s right. The film caps off an amazing year for both animation and comic book movies. It sits at the top of both piles in a year which had Incredibles 2, Isle of Dogs, Black Panther and Infinity War. Watching this film took me back to when I first seen Iron Man in cinema 10 years ago. The feeling of knowing you’re watching something special overcame me. The comic genre is more popular than ever before. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has just changed the game. In a year where it’s creator Stan Lee passed away it brings a sense of poignancy to the film. Stan was always proud of his work. He’s somewhere watching this right now with a big smile on his face. This is why he wrote countless Spider-Man adventures. This is why we are comic book fans.

Liam’s Summary of Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse

Best Moment: The introduction to each Spider-Man was wonderfully wonderful.

Worst Moment: That it had to end.

Best Character: There’s a reason we campaigned to get Miles Morales on screen.

Worst Character: I seen Post Malone’s name in the credits and I’m ashamed I didn’t notice him while watching.

Overall Rating: 5/5