Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse

This seems like an odd choice as a theatrical release at this time. Live action Marvel superhero films are more popular than ever, while DC dominates the at-home animated superhero market, but all of the sudden we get a full studio theatrical release of Spider-man. I And not only that, but one which includes multiple animated styles of Spidey, from 30’s noir, to anime, to Looney Tunes style cartoon.

And people are loving it.

As it turns out, they love it for good reason. Not only is the animation style wildly imaginative and different, but the story is also very gripping. It centers around Miles, a kid who gains the same powers as Spider-man and realizes he will have to take over the job. Then we get into a bunch of multiple dimensions clashing together, and things get crazy. But not crazy enough that you can’t follow what’s happening.

Miles ends up being a great central figure, with Peter Parker and Gwen Stacy providing excellent sidekick support. The Kingpin works really well as the villain, and there are other twists that add to the emotional context of everyone’s motivations.

Somehow they took a genre which is starting to feel stale in many people’s eyes, and created something fresh, despite it coming from a different medium. Into the Spider-verse works. It builds upon the weight of our cultural knowledge of Spidy and also becomes its own thing.

8.5/10