SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (2018) - Possibly the very best Spider-Man movie
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an animated superhero film directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman, starring Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Nicolas Cage, Kimiko Glenn, John Mulaney, and Liev Schreiber. The movie follows Miles Morales, a black-latino middle schooler who struggles to adjust to his new school and live up to his parents' expectations. After getting bitten by a genetically modified spider, he develops spider-like abilities and comes in contact with a variety of Spider-Men from different alternate universes, including an aged and disheveled Peter Parker who reluctantly teaches Miles how to become the next Spider-Man.
I think it's no secret that I'm a big fan of Spider-Man. I kinda wrote a really long essay on why he's the best superhero don't @ me. And I'd probably be lying if I said my feelings on the character don't affect how I view his portrayals in media. I think I'm a lot more critical over Spider-Man's movies and shows than I would be for those featuring other characters. That's probably why I wasn't such a huge fan of Spider-Man: Homecoming. It's a good movie, but doesn't really live up to my expectations of what Spider-Man movies can be.
That being said, I loved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
I am a fanboy for the Raimi movies, especially Spider-Man 2, but I gotta say I think this movie nails the essence of Spider-Man on the head and really gets what makes Spider-Man special. There is a lot of love put into this movie and it feels less like milking a cash cow and more like the creators really had a story they wanted to tell, which is a really weird thing to say coming from Sony Pictures Animation, the studio that brought you beloved classics such as The Smurfs, Peter Rabbit, and (oh God) The Emoji Movie.
So what is it about Into the Spider-Verse that makes it so special? In short, it's that it has a very strong theme that ties directly to the appeal of Spider-Man as a character: that anyone can be Spider-Man. Miles Morales was first created in 2011 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli as a black-Latino teenager who took over the mantle of Spider-Man when the Peter Parker of the hugely popular Ultimate Spider-Man comics died. Into the Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales in his first appearance on the big screen as the new, plucky Spider-Man, and it's a hugely refreshing change to be able to follow a Spider-Man who isn't the nerdy white kid we've seen over and over again.
Miles Morales in this movie is a cocky but likeable young teen with some really relatable struggles. He's played very charmingly and--like with Peter Parker--a big emphasis of the movie and the big emotional arc of the story is found in his relationships to his father figures, namely his father (a police officer who bears a grudge towards Spider-Man) and his uncle (an inversion of Uncle Ben who isn't as good as Miles thinks he is). The movie takes advantage of the multi-verse story and the fact that Miles is being trained by an older and weary Peter Parker to tell a good story with a strong message that works perfectly with the plot and with the central character. Miles' lesson isn't "with great power comes great responsibility", it's "it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, anyone can be Spider-Man". And not to bash on previous Spidey movies, but I think that's a much more wholesome and faithful message for a Spider-Man movie than "if you're nothing without the suit then you shouldn't have it" or anything that The Amazing Spider-Man movies tried to say, if at all.
I don't want to go much into the other Spider-Men in this review for fear of spoilers, but each one is carefully chosen to be unique, interesting, and a really fun nod to fans who are deep in Spidey lore. All I will say is the older Luke Skywalker-esque Peter Parker is a great contrast to the Peter's we've seen for years and Spider-Woman should just be in more movies in general.
If there's anything in this movie that truly stands out though, it is the absolutely spectacular animation. This movie honestly makes me wonder why there haven't been more animated comic book movies because Into the Spider-Verse blows it out of the water with its stellar animation that both looks amazing and is very comic book-y. There are these little dots and misaligned colors to simulate the look of comic books back in the 60's as well as a really great usage of comic book speech boxes to accent the movie. I know that I said in my Homecoming review that watching the movie felt like reading a comic book, but I'm going to have to take that back. Into the Spider-Verse is an actual comic book brought to life in movie form in so many ways. Sony Pictures Animation truly brought their A-team to work on this project and if the movie does not get an Oscar nom for its animation alone I will be very mad.
Another thing I loved about this movie was just how much much love for the character is spilling all over this movie. There are so many meta jokes on Spider-Man lore and pop culture on the level of The Lego Batman Movie and Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. These are things that probably would fly over the heads of most people, but hardcore Spidey fans will find so many small details that will surely bring a smile to their faces.
If there's one part I think the movie could have improved on, it would have been the villain. The movie's antagonist comes off as kind of bland, and while there is *an* understandable motive for their actions, it comes off as cliche and unoriginal. Every good Spider-Man movie has an equally strong villain who mirrors Spider-Man and the central theme of the movie, so it's a bit disappointing that Into the Spider-Verse doesn't really have that. Buttttt considering how much focus the heroes get in this movie, I can't really dock the movie for skimming over the villain. I just hope the sequel has a more interesting villain.
Side Note: Why black Spider-Man is okay
I wish this didn't need to be said now that we're almost entering 2019, but unfortunately I know this is going to come up sooner or later, so let's talk about it.
"Why is Spider-Man black?" That's the question of the day. And my answer is, why not? Like I've mentioned above, part of the appeal behind Spider-Man is that you have no clue what's under the mask. It could be a white guy, it could be an Asian woman, it could be a Latino boy. Spider-Man could be anyone and anyone can be Spider-Man (that's kind of the big theme of this movie).
While overall the character of Miles Morales was positively received when he was first created back in 2011, there was a sect of the Internet that predictably went rabid. "How dare they replace my beloved Peter Parker with such a clear and obvious flaccid attempt at marketing towards the non-whites" they cried out. "#NotMySpiderMan"
But Miles isn't that. Brian Michael Bendis didn't create Miles with the intention of replacing all white heroes with POC, as many so-called "fans" conspired. Bendis has gone on record saying that probably the biggest factor in creating Miles Morales was so that his two adopted daughters--one African American and one Ethiopian--could have a superhero they could look up to who looked like them.
And I really feel that. Growing up, a part of me really wanted to be white. It wasn't because I hated being Vietnamese or I hated my culture. I was just constantly surrounded by American and British media with almost exclusively white characters who came from the exact same background. Of course, by the time I was old enough to fully understand the concept of race and cultures, I learned to be proud of who I was, but a part of me is a bit ashamed to know that I once wanted my last name to be something other than Dinh.
If I grew up with a Miles Morales, I probably wouldn't have felt much differently, but I can imagine lots of young black and Hispanic boys and girls looking to Miles and seeing a part of themselves in him. Young kids are able to identify skin color and tell when someone looks the same as them or not, and I feel like in a society where superheroes are among the most dominant role models for young kids these days, it's important that they are able to connect with a hero who looks like them. And if you don't believe me, just watch this video of a bunch of students finding out that they all get to watch Black Panther together.
I don't know if Miles Morales will ever replace Peter Parker in the MCU, but given the hints we've gotten in Spider-Man: Homecoming as well as Kevin Feige's comments that future Marvel movies will feature a great deal of diversity, I feel like it's almost a guarantee.
Final Verdict
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is quite possibly the best Spider-Man movie to be made so far (it's tied with Spider-Man 2) and honestly might be my favorite superhero movie of the year. It has a great cast with a strong main character who happens to be a POC (diversity sells, Hollywood) with a good story and incredible animation with so much love for Spider-Man as a character. If there's any movie you're planning on watching this Christmas, let it be this one.
Oh, and the soundtrack is really quite good. Not as good as Black Panther's, but it's good. I have Sunflower on repeat as I write this.
PS: Make sure you stay for the post-credits scene at the very end. It is godlike.
Score: A-
That being said, I loved Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
I am a fanboy for the Raimi movies, especially Spider-Man 2, but I gotta say I think this movie nails the essence of Spider-Man on the head and really gets what makes Spider-Man special. There is a lot of love put into this movie and it feels less like milking a cash cow and more like the creators really had a story they wanted to tell, which is a really weird thing to say coming from Sony Pictures Animation, the studio that brought you beloved classics such as The Smurfs, Peter Rabbit, and (oh God) The Emoji Movie.
So what is it about Into the Spider-Verse that makes it so special? In short, it's that it has a very strong theme that ties directly to the appeal of Spider-Man as a character: that anyone can be Spider-Man. Miles Morales was first created in 2011 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli as a black-Latino teenager who took over the mantle of Spider-Man when the Peter Parker of the hugely popular Ultimate Spider-Man comics died. Into the Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales in his first appearance on the big screen as the new, plucky Spider-Man, and it's a hugely refreshing change to be able to follow a Spider-Man who isn't the nerdy white kid we've seen over and over again.
Miles Morales in this movie is a cocky but likeable young teen with some really relatable struggles. He's played very charmingly and--like with Peter Parker--a big emphasis of the movie and the big emotional arc of the story is found in his relationships to his father figures, namely his father (a police officer who bears a grudge towards Spider-Man) and his uncle (an inversion of Uncle Ben who isn't as good as Miles thinks he is). The movie takes advantage of the multi-verse story and the fact that Miles is being trained by an older and weary Peter Parker to tell a good story with a strong message that works perfectly with the plot and with the central character. Miles' lesson isn't "with great power comes great responsibility", it's "it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from, anyone can be Spider-Man". And not to bash on previous Spidey movies, but I think that's a much more wholesome and faithful message for a Spider-Man movie than "if you're nothing without the suit then you shouldn't have it" or anything that The Amazing Spider-Man movies tried to say, if at all.
 |
| Movie Miles > Comic Miles tbh |
If there's anything in this movie that truly stands out though, it is the absolutely spectacular animation. This movie honestly makes me wonder why there haven't been more animated comic book movies because Into the Spider-Verse blows it out of the water with its stellar animation that both looks amazing and is very comic book-y. There are these little dots and misaligned colors to simulate the look of comic books back in the 60's as well as a really great usage of comic book speech boxes to accent the movie. I know that I said in my Homecoming review that watching the movie felt like reading a comic book, but I'm going to have to take that back. Into the Spider-Verse is an actual comic book brought to life in movie form in so many ways. Sony Pictures Animation truly brought their A-team to work on this project and if the movie does not get an Oscar nom for its animation alone I will be very mad.
Another thing I loved about this movie was just how much much love for the character is spilling all over this movie. There are so many meta jokes on Spider-Man lore and pop culture on the level of The Lego Batman Movie and Teen Titans Go! to the Movies. These are things that probably would fly over the heads of most people, but hardcore Spidey fans will find so many small details that will surely bring a smile to their faces.
Side Note: Why black Spider-Man is okay
I wish this didn't need to be said now that we're almost entering 2019, but unfortunately I know this is going to come up sooner or later, so let's talk about it.
"Why is Spider-Man black?" That's the question of the day. And my answer is, why not? Like I've mentioned above, part of the appeal behind Spider-Man is that you have no clue what's under the mask. It could be a white guy, it could be an Asian woman, it could be a Latino boy. Spider-Man could be anyone and anyone can be Spider-Man (that's kind of the big theme of this movie).
But Miles isn't that. Brian Michael Bendis didn't create Miles with the intention of replacing all white heroes with POC, as many so-called "fans" conspired. Bendis has gone on record saying that probably the biggest factor in creating Miles Morales was so that his two adopted daughters--one African American and one Ethiopian--could have a superhero they could look up to who looked like them.
And I really feel that. Growing up, a part of me really wanted to be white. It wasn't because I hated being Vietnamese or I hated my culture. I was just constantly surrounded by American and British media with almost exclusively white characters who came from the exact same background. Of course, by the time I was old enough to fully understand the concept of race and cultures, I learned to be proud of who I was, but a part of me is a bit ashamed to know that I once wanted my last name to be something other than Dinh.
If I grew up with a Miles Morales, I probably wouldn't have felt much differently, but I can imagine lots of young black and Hispanic boys and girls looking to Miles and seeing a part of themselves in him. Young kids are able to identify skin color and tell when someone looks the same as them or not, and I feel like in a society where superheroes are among the most dominant role models for young kids these days, it's important that they are able to connect with a hero who looks like them. And if you don't believe me, just watch this video of a bunch of students finding out that they all get to watch Black Panther together.
I don't know if Miles Morales will ever replace Peter Parker in the MCU, but given the hints we've gotten in Spider-Man: Homecoming as well as Kevin Feige's comments that future Marvel movies will feature a great deal of diversity, I feel like it's almost a guarantee.
Final Verdict
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is quite possibly the best Spider-Man movie to be made so far (it's tied with Spider-Man 2) and honestly might be my favorite superhero movie of the year. It has a great cast with a strong main character who happens to be a POC (diversity sells, Hollywood) with a good story and incredible animation with so much love for Spider-Man as a character. If there's any movie you're planning on watching this Christmas, let it be this one.
Oh, and the soundtrack is really quite good. Not as good as Black Panther's, but it's good. I have Sunflower on repeat as I write this.
PS: Make sure you stay for the post-credits scene at the very end. It is godlike.
Score: A-
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