Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse doesn't release for another two weeks (December 14th for those curious), but I saw the film at an early screening tonight, and since the embargo's already been lifted, I figured I'd review it early!
'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse' Review
Nominated For: Best Animated Feature.
Won: Best Animated Feature.
Bitten by a radioactive spider, teenager Miles Morales suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into Spider-Man. He then must team up with Spider-Men from other dimensions to stop a threat to all reality.
Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is co-directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman and features a screenplay penned by Rothman and Phil Lord. Believe it or not, but it's actually the first feature-length animated Spider-Man film to be released in theaters, and as a devout reader of the initial 2015 Spider-Verse comic series run, I was very excited by the announcement of this project. Though I remained skeptical since it would be produced and distributed by Sony's animation division, whose two most recent films were Hotel Transylvania 3 and The Emoji Movie... Not to mention that Sony has done a disservice to Spidey fans many times over the years...
So it is with great pleasure that I say Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is an experience like no other! Not only is the hybrid animation style a vibrant and refreshing-of-pace, but it's unlike anything I'd ever seen in an animated film before. Into The Spider-Verse resembles a three-dimensional comic book in the most interesting way imaginable. You get everything from text blurbs and speech bubbles to the web-slinger's trademark thwips and spidey sense. Just as The LEGO Batman Movie was for Batman, Into The Spider-Verse is a fitting tribute to everyone's favorite web-head because there are plenty of easter eggs and references to Spidey's longstanding history across all forms of media. There is, of course, a Stan Lee cameo, and since it's the first time Lee's voice has been heard in a film since his unfortunate passing, my entire audience erupted with applause while I admittedly shed quite a few tears. On that note, stick around through the credits not only for a hilarious post-credits scene but also to read a heartfelt dedication to Lee.
Though there are multiple versions of Peter Parker to be found in the film, this is Miles Morale's story first and foremost. Fortunately, Morales' cinematic debut offers a very faithful depiction of the character and his origin. However, this strict adherence to the source material may make certain major twists and reveals a tad predictable for any comic book readers already familiar with his backstory. It's admittedly a trade-off because fans would probably be up-in-arms if anything were to be substantially altered, but integrating his story with the Spider-Verse hi-jinks kept things engaging.
Into The Spider-Verse is charming from the outset thanks to the inclusion of so many Spidey-iterations, and the combination of differing animation styles and an A-list vocal ensemble really bolster this group of spider-people. Shameik Moore lends a youthful exuberance and vulnerability to Miles Morales while Jake Johnson portrays an older, burnt out Peter Parker (there's another actor who voices Peter Parker which hasn't been disclosed yet, so I'll preserve that casting secret). Meanwhile, Hailee Steinfeld, Nicolas Cage, John Mulaney, and Kimiko Glenn voice a self-reliant Spider-Gwen, shady private eye Spider-Man Noir, the porky Spider-Ham, and anime-inspired Peni Parker. Cage's Spider-Man Noir and Mulaney's Spider-Ham are honestly a treasure trove of comic relief, but that core ensemble had excellent chemistry between the six of them. Other notable actors are Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, and Liev Schreiber as Miles' easy-going uncle Aaron Davis, strict father Jefferson Davis, and hulking mobster Kingpin.
After previously webbing up baddies in seven live-action features, the beloved wall-crawler's assuredly swung into the medium of animation, and Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse captures the spirit of Spider-Man better than any of its predecessors. In a surprising turn of events, Into The Spider-Verse is not only my favorite animated film to be released this year, but one of 2018's best films, period. Determining exactly where it ranks in relation to my other favorite comic-book movies will require at least one more viewing, but one thing's for sure, Stan Lee would have been very proud.
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