(spoiler free)
Spider-Man, Spider-Man does whatever a spider can…and apparently a whole lot more in brand new Sony animation ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’. From the creative minds that brought us ‘The LEGO Movie’, Phil Lord and Christoper Miller who serve as screenwriters and producers respectively here comes a comic book explosion combining what we know and love about Spider-Man with a fresh and exciting twist on the much loved superhero.
The film follows teenager Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as he struggles to adjust to life at a new, more prestigious high school that he’s recently moved to. If this wasn’t challenging enough he’s soon thrust into a world where he quickly learns there isn’t just one Spider-Man! This is a narrative that celebrates and embraces all things Spidey, good and bad! It gloriously pokes fun at what has come before it in terms of Peter Parker’s silver screen outings but also paying tribute to them in such beautiful ways. It has elements that audiences will have seen before but so so much more that for many will prove a completely new experience of the famous web-slinger which says a lot in this saturated super-hero culture we’re living in. The film is hilirious thanks to the well written script and creativity consistently on show, don’t be mistaken though this isn’t simply a throwaway comedy animation. It has real emotion running through its veins and will have any comic book fans’ spidey senses tingling in all the right moments. More than just being funny and emotional this comic book animation has a real sense of adventure that has maybe been lost in the live action films which can get caught up in universe building, detailed origins and brooding storylines. These are all somewhat present here too but ‘Spider-Verse’ never looses its childish sense of fun striking a fantastic balance of tone bringing together everything fans love about this genre.
The animation work itself is outstanding. With the action literally jumping off the pages of the comic books this fast paced style of animation feels like the truest representation of these stories ever to have graced the big screen. This comic book style of animation keeps the pace electric and allows for endless creativity that a live-action adventure just couldn’t deliver. It’s a visual delight and the artistry present will keep audiences engaged for the entire feature length run-time. Furthermore, the contemporary soundtrack that accompanies these visuals is a perfect fit. Feeling natural amongst the characters this story follows it completes the film offering a well thought through sound for the story it has to tell. Daniel Pemberton’s score is a fine companion for the action and drama on show, with his theme for Prowler proving a highlight. This theme and the rest of his score is excellent and wouldn’t feel out of place in any live-action superhero epic however it truly suits this animated adventure in a very special way. The amount of talent associated with this picture is amazing and the huge voice cast is no exception. It’s so fun listening to this cast portray such an array of characters, known and unknown from this world. The imagination and inventiveness demonstrated through this collection of characters is inspired, with countless highlights these roles offer many of the cast their most exciting and interesting roles to date, but you don’t need anyone to tell you about them – just go experience them for yourself!
‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is truly Spider-Man like you’ve never seen him before. It’s comfortably the best animated film of the year and there’s a strong argument for it being the greatest ever incarnation of Spider-Man period. Fans will have an absolute riot with this and even casual viewers will have fun, being unable to deny the pure artistry on show. Spider-Man was already such a cool and often relatable character and this new film manages to make him even more lovable. Nostalgic yet progressive, heart wrenching and hilrious ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ is one unforgettable comic book trip that’s an immediate superhero screen sensation.
Written by Hamish Calvert
Rating – 10/10
Question: How would you rank the Spider-Man films?
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