EUR REVIEW: ‘Spider-Verse’ Is An Inclusive, Incredible Spider-Man Movie

December 31, 2018

*With how much Sony in general and Amy Pascal specifically have screwed up the Spider-Man film franchise in recent years, the idea of an animated Spidey tale, without the emphasis solely being on Peter Parker and without Kevin Feige to guide it a bit seemed a recipe for disappointment and disaster. Instead, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is an almost flawless movie. It is arguably the best Spider-Man movie to date – and definitely the best since 2004’s “Spider-Man 2”.

What gives this Spider-Man tale a fresh take is that it centers on Miles Morales, a Brooklyn half-black, half-Latino teen who gets the powers we are all familiar with after being bitten by a radioactive spider on the subway.

Centering a film on the Morales version of Spider-Man – who has been controversial ever since created in 2011 by writer Brian Michael Bendis and artist Sara Pichelli. Both Bendis and then Marvel editor-in-chief Axel Alonso said they were partly inspired by Barack Obama and actor/rapper Donald Glover – was a bold move by Sony.

However, replacing arguably the most known superhero alter-ego for a film with Morales, it was clear only one thing would win over reluctant fans of Spider-Man; A great story – which this movie has in spades.

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“Spider-Man: Into the #SpiderVerse” hit the $100 million mark at the domestic box office https://t.co/dkztsRWseG pic.twitter.com/IBGInIGaFk

— Variety (@Variety) December 30, 2018

After over five decades of Peter Parker as an increasingly confident man, “Spider-Verse” gives us a teen from Brooklyn who has insecurities. He admires Spider-Man, who in his universe is still Peter Parker. he feels out of place at an elite boarding school and feels burdened by the expectations of his parents – his mom, Rio Morales and dad Jefferson Davis.His dad desoises Spider-Man, which of course causes problems later on when Miles gets his powers.

As a getaway from his restrictive, controlling parents, we see Miles often visit his uncle Aaron Davis, who doesn’t always do the right thing and encourages Miles to express himself through his art – by painting the subway stations with graffiti. Just as it looks like Miles may be led down the wrong path, he is bitten by a radioactive spider – and then things really get interesting.

Miles sees his Spider-Man, a Spider-Man at the top of his game – killed after battle with the Kingpin.
What follows is Miles trying to stop the Kingpin from using a high-tech gizmo that humanizes the villain – he is trying to bring back his deceased wife and kid – but mainly serves to bring a whole different versions of Spider-Man together in one setting.

We have Miles, a less confident Peter Parker, “Gwanda”, a dimension-displaced heroine whose real name is Gwen Stacy; Peni Parker, a Japanese-American middle school student and her spider-looking robot; Spider-Ham, who is talking pig with Spider-powers and Spider-Man Noir, a Spider-Man with the look and feel of a 1930s gangster.

This assemblage of heroes is really fun to watch. It is diversity done right. Because although all of the Spider-related characters have a connection to Peter Parker, care is made to make them all unique. Miles listens to rap and hip hop, Peni is drawn in an anime style; “Gwanda” looks like a modern, sleek heroine; Spider-Ham is drawn in the form of a children’s cartooon, while Spider-Man Noir seems like a character out of a james cagney movie, with a shadowy aura enveloping him.

We also get a female Doctor Octopus.

There is no way this would be half as effective without the vibrant animation. It has as much of a budget as a Disney or Pixar film and it shows onscreen.

You Can Read The Entire ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’ Script Online for Free Now https://t.co/0jpxysBrcW pic.twitter.com/H3QeLpYsPl

— Peter Sciretta (@slashfilm) December 31, 2018

With an exceptional voice cast that includes Shameik Moore as Miles Morales, Jake Johnson as a mentoring Peter Parker; Chris Pine as an incredibly competent Spider-Man who meets a surprising fate; Hailee Steinfeld as an alternate version of Gwen Stacy that is a feisty and sarcastic but kind superheroine; Masherala Ali as Aaron Davis; Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis; Lily Tomlin as an alternate version of Aunt May; Luna Lauren Velez as Rio Morales; Zoe Kravitz as two universes’ spunky Mary Jane Watsons; John Mulaney as Spider-Ham; Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker; Nicolas cage as the Humphrey Bogart-like, monochromatic alternate version of Peter Parker from a 1930s universe; Kathryn Hahn as Olivia Octavius, a female Doctor Octopus and Liev Schreiber as The Kingpin, “Into the Spider-Verse” is bursting at the seams with characters.

The brilliance of the film is that it turns what in lesser hands could have been an incoherent mess and, under the guidance of the three-headed director team of Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey and Rodney Rothman give us a film that is almost perfect in giving everyone a time to shine and to explore the richness of the screenplay by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman.

This is the first time Lord has written a screenplay without frequent collaborator Christopher Miller, which could have caused problems. Instead, we get the zaniness and brilliance we expect from that duo, but with a fresh feel.

There is so much story here and so many wonderful characters, I feel it is a given that we will see spinoffs and sequels to this film.

Rightfully so. “Into the Spider-Verse” has been sweeping the awards for animated films and if there is any justice, it will break the stranglehold Disney seems to have on the Oscars for that category.
Yes. It is that good.

In the end, while it is made clear that Peter Parker IS Spider-Man, a young kid named Miles Morales – and others – are capable of picking up the mantle – as long as they abide by the motto, “With Great Power There Must Also Come Great Responsibility”.

At long last, Sony has proven themselves worthy of doing a film centered on arguably the recognizable hero on Earth AND taking risks with him.

The results are nothing short of spectacular.

Grade: A+