'Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse' A Review

Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse is an animated superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics Miles Morals/Spider-Man story line. Miles(Shameik Moore), Brooklynite and graffiti artist, struggles to adjust to his new elite school and his parents expectations. He spends time with his low-key easy-going uncle Aaron(Mahershala Ali) to get away from his overwhelming school work and pressures. One night while the two are out in an abandoned subway tunnel, a canvas for Miles found by his uncle, Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider and develops superhuman abilities. His stumbles upon a confrontation between the existing Spider-Man(voiced by Chris Pine, the Peter Parker we know) and a number of villains as they battle over the machine. Spider-Man is killed but not before charging Miles with the destruction of the machine, he flees, but not before the accelerator opens a door between alternate dimensions which draws various versions of Spider-Man into Miles' world.

The voice performances are all unilaterally good especially Moore and Brian Tyree Henry and  Luna Lauren Velez as Miles' mother and father. For all the action and meta elements what sustains the story is its unflinching commitment and sincerity to its characters. The family dynamic and Miles' coming-of-age lie at the center of the story, the supporting cast is wide and there is a lot of self-referential, pop culture elements as well as an almost taken-for-granted understanding of the parallel worlds theory but despite all the busyness(which is very fun and frequently funny) there is a real emotional story at its center. All the celebrity cameos and supporting turns are part of the pleasure of the film so I won't spoil it here but almost every voice is recognizable and it is clear that all the actors enjoy their parts substantially.

What is so impressive about the film is that it pulls off a supremely complicated juggling act. The emotional tract of the narrative is never compromised and Miles couldn't be on a more real and compelling journey. The alternate worlds element allows for not only fun psychedelic visuals and various forms of Spider-Heroes to team up but allows for gags and bits as well as commentary that a like-our-world-but-not-our-world allows from the poignant to the absurd. And all the while an ongoing playfulness is balanced with the action and more "sincere" elements. The other thing the film gets exactly right is its source material ie comics. This is the first comic book movie that actually justly incorporates comic book elements with the occasional panels flashing on the screen to meta-voice over and talk and think bubbles. It feels like a comic book but not in a way that is hack or distracting but in a way that elevates that material in a surprising way.

A diverse action packed superhero film that despite its seemingly complicated plot manages to be  clear, entertaining, and almost exuberant. And behind all the jokes there is a soft but staying message- anyone can be a hero.

See It.