Spider-Man Across the Spider-verse (Part One)
review by Bobby Blakey
Spider-man has had a wild ride since his inception spawning live action films including the highly anticipated upcoming Spider-Man: No Way Home as well as the current kids animated series on Disney + Spidey and His Amazing Friends. In 2018 an all new animated vision hit the big screen with Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse. Now directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are returning to this new universe with Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse (Part One) featuring the voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld and Issa Rae. Could this new entry do something to stand out once again or will it get lost in its own universe?
Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales who returns for the next chapter of the Oscar®-winning Spider-Verse saga, an epic adventure that will transport Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to face off with a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered.
The first film is so awesome I was hoping for more, but also concerned if they were able to capture that same magic without it just feeling rehashed. Everything about this next chapter is not only fresh and new with the familiar territory, but in my opinion far surpasses the original in every way. Sure the missing fun characters from the first film is a bummer, but there are so many new ones to enjoy and a direction that makes it all bigger and slaps you in the face with perfection.
Right out the gate it mixes things up getting more focus on Gwen’s story that infuses more depth into the existing universe. Have no fear this is all about Miles still, but it has expanded in ways that it needed to push the characters forward, but also to play directly into this new story. I am going to keep it vague because there is just so much to enjoy and I don’t
want to spoil anything, but it goes all in on every level. With a single line of dialogue it connects itself the MCU and through some fun other things it keeps the entire franchise as one while never stepping away from this one on its own.
The story is pretty simple, but brings a complex concept in a fun way that just works and keeps you on your toes from beginning to end of its 2 hour and 20 minute run time. It never feels long and keeps things moving, allowing all the characters here to shine and get their moments. Some of the best are ones that only the hardcore comic fans will get and understand. They still work for everyone, but there is a bigger hit for the fans. Throughout the film there are some great surprises, insane action, heartfelt moments and plenty of laugh out loud moments.
Once again the animation is outstanding with a beautifully vibrant chaos that punches all your senses in the face. It offers up some changes in creative ways and lets it be its thing all while working in a cohesive brilliant way. I love this film on every level with the exception of the ending since it is a part one, you can imagine what that means. It is insanely impressive that they were able to take everything they did with the first one and improve on it in every way.
I think fans are going to lose their mind with this film and if they don’t then I am not sure what went wrong in their lives. This film is all kinds of awesome and I cannot wait until the next chapter. In addition to the film this release offers up bonus content including deleted scene, commentary, lyric videos, featurettes and more.
Return to the spider-verse when Spider-Man Across The Spider-verse available digital, 4K, Blu-ray and DVD from Sony Home Entertainment.