Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) Movie Review

Synopsis:

A radioactive spider bites Brooklyn teen, Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore). He gains a unique set of superpowers and becomes Brooklyn’s new hero. Miles also encounters other versions of himself from alternate dimensions. Their mission is to stop Kingpin (voiced by Liev Schreiber) from destroying the multiverse.

Review:

There’s a constant danger of the multiverse concept underperforming or failing to meet fan expectations.

Into the Spider-Verse doesn’t fall prey to either of these issues. Instead, it proves itself among superhero animated films.

This film’s creators have a passion for the Spider-Man characters and the lore.

As an example, there are references to previous comics, appearances, and movies.

Each one of these has a very colorful, distinctive, comic-inspired animation style.

These are also applied to the action sequences. These are all very fast-paced in their execution.

As a whole, the visuals for these sequences are a highlight.

Despite this, the film’s action can lose its sense of momentum and impact on occasion.

Also, there are moments of slapstick comedy that don’t always hit their stride.

This is evident during the film’s first half, where Miles becomes familiar with his powers.

There are moments, though, that do provide some good comedy. These are with Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld).

Furthermore, Spider-Man Into the Spider-Verse has an issue with its main antagonist, Kingpin. For one, he's not given enough agency in the story.

Although his mission is clear, Kingpin’s motives aren’t focused on as much as they should’ve been.

Kingpin has an intimidating presence in this film. Regardless of this, he should've had more development.

This film also contains many secondary antagonists. These range from a female Doc Ock (voiced by Kathryn Hahn) to The Prowler (voiced by Mahershala Ali).

Kathryn Hahn seems to have fun voicing Doc Ock. Mahershala Ali also gives an unsettling voice performance as The Prowler.

Every minute The Prowler appears, the film accentuates his presence with ominous music.

As well as a good voice performance by Ali, The Prowler is an unrelenting foe.

He also attacks Miles with his wide range of high-tech gadgets and combat prowess.

The Prowler steals each scene he’s in, making for the film’s most entertaining antagonist.

On the flip side, Into the Spider-Verse contains many different Spider variants. One of which includes Spider-Man Noir (voiced by Nicholas Cage).

For context, Nicholas Cage voices a version of Spider-Man from the 1930s. Nicholas Cage lets loose with this concept and has many fun scenes.

Lily Tomlin also voices Aunt May in this film. Despite having a small role, she provides a good dose of deadpan line delivery.

This film has an alternate version of Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson), who acts as a mentor to Miles.

This story’s main focal point is Miles’ journey to accepting responsibility and becoming Brooklyn’s hero.

This also ties into Miles’ connection with his father, Jefferson Davis (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry).

Into the Spider-Verse also includes the now-popular “Sunflower” track by Post Malone and Swae Lee. It's used often throughout the film.

“What’s Up Danger” by Black Caviar and Blackway is also used to highlight Miles’ pivotal moment in becoming a hero.

Each one of these tracks is catchy, being well-used throughout.

Conclusion:

As a whole, Into the Spider-Verse is a film brimming with creativity and visual style.

Each character has a distinct movement. This is despite the action losing its momentum as the film progresses.

It’s also clear that this movie's directors respected the source material. With it, they produced a quality product.

This is further highlighted by their references to Spider-Man lore. These include the previous films and comic appearances.

Into the Spider-Verse also contains a catchy soundtrack.

These include “Sunflower” and “What’s Up Danger” being the main highlights.

A character’s themes, such as The Prowler’s ominous horn, make the character distinct. It also accentuates the threat he poses.

Where Into the Spider-Verse can falter is with its main antagonist, Kingpin.

He's a character devoid of much agency. This is despite his intimidating on-screen presence.

Despite this, his motives aren’t given any forward momentum, as it’s clear the focus was on Miles.

Into the Spider-Verse's main issues include its familiar action sequences and underdeveloped antagonist.

It also has some off-putting slapstick comedy. Despite these flaws, Into the Spider-Verse should please most Spider-Man fans.

Sam’s Action Reaction score:

Characters - 7.5/10

Story - 7/10

Action - 7/10

Visuals and animation - 8.5/10

Soundtrack - 7.5/10

Overall score: 7.5 out of 10