Set 16 months after events in which Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) became Spider-Man, the film follows the character who deals with a new enemy in Spot who holds a grudge towards Morales as he discovers new powers that threatens the entire multiverse with Morales and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) going on a mission to save the multiverse where some revelations occur as it relates to Morales. It is a film that doesn’t just play into Morales dealing with this threat that would destroy many different universes involving variations of Spider-Man but also so much more including the narrative of Spider-Man. Notably as Morales is still trying to find himself as he is trying to be the new Spider-Man but also a kid living in a prestigious high school in Brooklyn who is trying to do good for his parents. The film’s screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham doesn’t just explore Morales’ struggle in his identity but also this new threat in Spot who is revealed to be someone that Morales had unknowingly met in the past who has the power to create portals through black spots as it allows him to go into the multiverse.
The film’s script doesn’t begin with Morales’ story and his connection with Spot but rather Gwen Stacy who not only misses Morales but also is still coping with the loss of her variation of Peter Parker as her Spider-Woman persona remains on the hunt by her father Captain George Stacy (Shea Whigham) who believes Spider-Woman killed Parker whom he cared about. It is during a mission where Gwen is being confronted by her father who would learn about her identity while also meeting other Spider-Man variants in Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) and Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) as the latter is the leader of the Spider-Society that the former is a member of as she invites Gwen into the fold after capturing a variation of Vulture (Jorma Taccone) from a Renaissance-inspired multiverse. Gwen’s return to Morales’ universe has her trying to capture the Spot as she would briefly visit Morales who is struggling on whether to tell his parents that he’s Spider-Man as revelations about the Spot as well as the fact that it was his spider that bit Morales.
Morales would follow Gwen who reluctantly invites him to her mission to stop the Spot as they travel to a multiverse known as Mumbattan where its Spider-Man in Pavtir Prabhakar (Karan Soni) is dealing with the Spot as they’re aided by another Spider-Man variation in Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya). Despite not capturing the Spot, the Spider-People would save Mumbattan with Morales invited to the Spider-Society where he reunites with Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) and meets O’Hara where revelations about Morales’ role comes into play. Notably in his actions and a narrative that all versions of Spider-Man have to follow in order for them to become who they are.
The direction of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson is wild not just in the many different animated styles they put in but also in creating something that raises the bar of what animated films could do. Aided by a team of supervising animators in David Han, Nick Kondo, Jeff Panko, Mikaela Pfeifer, Daniel Pozo, Philip Rudolph, and Siggi Orri Thorhannesson in creating different worlds and animation styles ranging from comic-book inspired animation, hand-drawn 2D animation, and computer-based 3D animation. Dos Santos, Powers, and Thompson would also maintain this glitch-based style as it plays into the multiverse breaking apart while doing a lot in playing up these different locations that all of these characters go into. The direction also infuse a lot of unique compositions along with shots that play into the drama and suspense such as the scene where Captain Stacy walks into a rubble where he finds Spider-Woman where he would learn of her identity.
With the aid of production designer Patrick O’Keefe, along with art directors Dean Gordon and Araiz Khalid, and visual effects supervisor Mike Lasker in creating the backdrops for the many worlds. The direction also does a lot to establish the stakes as well as what their respective Spider-Man variations have to endure as part of a grand narrative that all of these variations follow. It is something that Gwen is dealing with knowing as being forced to reveal her own identity to him as it creates a lot of conflict for her when it comes to Morales and his role as a Spider-Man. Even as his own father in Jefferson Morales (Brian Tyree Henry) is about to become a police captain with Morales dealing with the fact that his father could be part of an on-going narrative that he’s not ready to deal with. Its third act that is filled with these dazzling visuals and set pieces as well as many Spider-Man variants with a lot of attention to detail on its look with costume designer Brooklyn El-Omar helping to create a different look for all of these variants. Even as they venture into these alternate universes with the Spot being this major threat who will destroy everything as Morales is forced to confront realities he isn’t prepared for. Overall, the trio of Dos Santos, Kemp, and Thompson craft a visually-grand and audacious film about young superhero dealing with new realities and a new foe who threatens to destroy the multiverse.
Editor Mike Andrews does amazing work with the editing in creating some unique fast-cuts for some of the action but also knowing when to slow things down in the dramatic scene and suspenseful moments with some split-screen shots to help play into the drama. Sound designers Alec Rubay and Kip Smedley do brilliant work with the sound as its creation of sound effects and sparse sound textures add to the sense of urgency into the action and suspense. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is incredible for its mixture of electronic music, hip-hop rhythms, and orchestral flourishes that help play into the suspense and action as well as some themes including using Indian-based instruments for the scenes in Mumbattan while music supervisor Kier Lehman creates a fun music soundtrack that features contributions from Coi Leray, Nas, Swae Lee, Future, Don Toliver, James Blake, Offset, Wiz Kid, Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Lil Wayne, A$AP Rocky, and 2 Chainz.
The casting by Mary Hidalgo is great as it features a massive ensemble voice cast along with a few live-action appearances such as Peggy Lu as the convenience store owner from the Venom films who has a brief encounter with Spot. Other voice cameos including J.K. Simmons as various versions of J. Jonah Jameson, Peter Sohn as Morales’ school roommate Ganke Lee, Melissa Strum as Peter B. Parker’s wife Mary Jane Parker, Elizabeth Perkins as a variation of Aunt May and the Quippy Spider-Person, Josh Keaton as Spectacular Spider-Man from the late 2000s TV series, Ziggy Marley as a Jamaican convenience store owner, Rachel Dratch as Morales’ school principal, Amandla Stenberg as Margo Kess/Spider-Byte who is a Spider-Person from a virtual reality, Jack Quaid as Gwen’s version of Peter Parker, Greta Lee as the Spider Society AI assistant Lyla, Andy Samberg as a variation of Spider-Man in Ben Reilly/Scarlet Spider, and Jorma Taccone as a variation of Vulture from a Renaissance-based universe whom Gwen tried to capture with help from Miguel O’Hara and Jessica Drew.
Shea Whigham is superb as Gwen’s father George Stacy as a police captain who is trying to hunt Spider-Woman over the death of Peter Parker as he copes with Spider-Woman’s identity. Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Lauren Velez are fantastic in their respective roles as Morales’ parents in Jefferson and Rio Morales who both deal with their son’s absences as well as his struggles in school with the former pondering his faults as a father just as he is about to become a police captain. Daniel Kaluuya and Karan Soni are excellent in their respective roles as Spider-Man variants in Hobart “Hobie” Brown/Spider-Punk and Pavtir Prabhakar/Spider-Man India with the former as this British punk rocker with a Cockney accent who is rebellious while the latter is this Indian-based figure who got his powers through magic while wearing Indian-inspired clothing for his own costume. Issa Rae is brilliant as Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman as a pregnant Spider-Woman variant who mentors Gwen and rides a motorcycle that she uses as a weapon where she brings a lot of humor but also is the second-in-command to Miguel.
Jake Johnson is amazing as Peter B. Parker as Morales’ former mentor who has managed to get his life together while being accompanied with a baby girl in Mayday Parker who also has powers of her own where he tries to help Morales over dealing with the Spot. Oscar Isaac is great as Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 as a ninja-like, muscular version of Spider-Man who doesn’t have a sense of humor as he is someone who takes the security of the multiverse very seriously as he sees Morales as someone that could ruin things despite the fact that the Spot is an even bigger threat. Jason Schwartzman is incredible as Dr. Jonathan Ohnn/the Spot as a former scientist whose creation makes him into a villain that can travel through holes until he gains new powers that would allow him to destroy the multiverse as he has a grudge towards Morales.
Hailee Steinfeld is phenomenal as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman as a teenager still coping with not just the death of her version of Peter Parker but also what is at stake where Steinfeld brings a lot of emotional angst as well as someone filled with a lot of conflict about her friendship with Morales and saving the multiverse. Finally, there’s Shameik Moore in a tremendous voice performance as Miles Morales/Spider-Man as a teenager who is still dealing with growing pains in both as a regular kid and as Spider-Man while dealing with this new villain in the Spot as he also becomes aware of what is at stake where it is this great voice performance that allows Moore bring a lot of nuances to Morales as someone that is just still trying to find himself.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an outstanding film from the trio of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson that features a phenomenal ensemble voice cast. Along with a strong and gripping story, visuals that takes animation to new heights, grand set pieces, and an exhilarating music score. The film isn’t just this enthralling superhero film but it is also a film that really raises the bar of what animated films could be as well as how to present something with a story that plays into all sorts of issues such as identity, growing pains, and what it means to be a hero. In the end, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a magnificent film from Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson.
Spider-Man Films: Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - The Amazing Spider-Man - The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse - Spider-Man: Far from Home - Spider-Man: No Way Home - (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse)
© thevoid99 2023
Based on the Marvel comics series by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and the Miles Morales series by Brian Michael Bendis and Sara Pichelli, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the story of a young kid who becomes a new Spider-Man as he juggles life as a kid and as the new Spider-Man while finding himself meeting other Spider-Mans including a different version of Peter Parker who would train his new protégé. Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman with screenplay by Rothman and Phil Lord from a story by Lord, the film is an animated film that focuses on Miles Morales who tries to become the new Spider-Man as well as tackle an evil foe who opened multiple dimensions that would destroy the world. Featuring the voices of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, Lily Tomlin, Lauren Valez, John Mulaney, Kimiko Glenn, Liev Schreiber, and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an exhilarating and rich film from Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman.
The film revolves around a young teenager in Miles Morales (the voice of Shameik Moore) whose encounter with a radioactive spider gives him powers where he learns of a plot from a crime boss that eventually lead to other Spider-Mans from other dimensions to help Morales out and stop this crime boss. It’s a film that takes its simple premise that play into the idea of alternate realities and dimensions where this young kid has to take on the mantle of being the new Spider-Man despite his inexperience and insecurities following the death of the previous Spider-Man in Peter Parker (Chris Pine) during a battle with the crime boss in Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin (Liev Schreiber). The film’s screenplay by Rodney Rothman and Phil Lord follows the young Morales who is the son of a cop in Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry) and nurse Rio Morales (Lauren Valez) as he’s struggling to fit in as he’s attending this prestigious school in Brooklyn.
While hanging out with his uncle Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali) as they do some graffiti art in the subway, Miles gets bitten by a spider as its effects would bring weird things as he tries to find the spider the next day where he encounters a battle between Spider-Man and the Kingpin. Due to the events that lead to Spider-Man’s death, Miles would meet a man claiming to be Peter Parker yet he’s from another dimension as Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) is a version of Parker who is out-of-shape, depressed, and down on his luck. They’re later joined by other versions of Spider-Man in Spider-Woman/Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Ham/Peter Porker (John Mulaney), SP//dr/Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn) and Spider-Man Noir who have all been sucked in from other dimensions by the Kingpin who has a grudge towards Spider-Man as he has some valid reasons for wanting to open other dimensions unaware of its dangers.
The direction of Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman is definitely stylish in a grand way where it play into not just different styles of animation but also providing many kinds of Easter eggs and references the comics and films relating to Spider-Man. With the aid of lead animators Julie Bernier Gosselin, Jeff Panko, Humberto Francisco Rosa, and Philip Rudolph, the direction has a style that is rich in its detail as well as the design of the different version of Spider-Man as Spider-Man Noir is presented in a black-and-white animated style similar to old comic books of the 1930s/1940s as well as film noir while Spider-Ham is presented in a hand-drawn animated style similar to Warner Brothers cartoons and SP//dr is presented in Japanese anime. The direction also allowed each version of Spider-Man be introduced in the style of a comic book where it doesn’t just establish who they are and where they come from but it allows Morales to get to know them just as he’s trying to understand his own powers that are different from the other Spider-Mans.
The direction also has this attention to detail in the way it presents New York City in its different settings as well as a city dealing with these weird glitches. The wide and medium shots capture the scope of the locations as well as the world that Morales and the other Spider-Mans would encounter including Fisk’s home lab where he also have other villains working for him. With the aid of production designer Justin Thompson, art directors Dean Gordon and Patrick O’Keef, and visual effects supervisor Danny Dimian, the look of the different dimensions and cities add to the richness of the film as well as how Morales view the world around him as he’s coping with his powers and the idea of what had been instilled in Spider-Man.
Even as his father is someone who admits to not being fond of Spider-Man’s vigilante ideas as it would later play into some of the chaos that Morales would get himself involved in during its third act. The film’s climax is extravagant in its presentation as well as the stakes as it play into Morales coming to terms with who he is as well as be the hero that his family could be proud of. Overall, Persichetti, Ramsey, and Rothman create an enthralling and touching film about a young boy who takes on the mantle of Spider-Man.
Editor Robert Fisher Jr. does brilliant work with the editing in creating some rhythmic cuts that play into the humor and drama as well as some of the action and montages in the film. Sound editors Geoffrey G. Rubay and Curt Schulkey do amazing work with the sound in cultivating audio from cartoons and films relating to Spider-Man as well as sound effects that play into the action and adventure. The film’s music by Daniel Pemberton is wonderful for its mixture of orchestral bombast and hip-hop that play into the world that Morales lives in while music supervisor Kier Lehman provide a soundtrack that is largely driven by hip-hop from Post Malone, Nicki Minaj, Amine, Lil’ Wayne, DJ Khalil, Vince Staples, and many others as well as some playful Christmas music that the real Spider-Man had created.
The casting by Mary Hidalgo is great as it feature some notable small roles and voice appearances from Jorma Taccone as Norman Osborn/the Green Goblin, Lake Bell as the Kingpin’s late wife Vanessa, Marvin “Krondone” Jones III as the villainous Tombstone, Joaquin Cosio as the villain Scorpion, Zoe Kravitz as Mary Jane Watson, and Kathryn Hahn in a superb performance as Olivia “Liv” Octavius/Doctor Octopus as a mad scientist working for the Kingpin as she also hates Spider-Man. Lily Tomlin and Lauren Velez are fantastic in their respective roles as Aunt May Parker and Rio Morales with Tomlin being a mentor to the young Morales in his role as Spider-Man while Velez provides that maternal warmth as Morales’ mom who is concerned for her son’s growing pains. Chris Pine’s brief voice performance as Peter Parker/Spider-Man in Morales’ universe is wonderful in displaying someone with confidence and care but also displaying all of the qualities to be Spider-Man while Stan Lee, in one of his final film roles, is a joy to watch as a vendor who provide some poignant words to Morales about what Spider-Man means to the world.
In the roles of some of the other Spider-Mans from other dimensions, Kimiko Glenn and John Mulvaney are excellent in their respective roles as Penni Parker/SP//dr and Peter Porker/Spider-Ham as different animated versions of the Spider-Man character with the former as a young girl with a machine-like android and the latter as a Looney Tunes-inspired pig who provide some silly gags. Mahershala Ali is brilliant as Morales’ uncle Aaron Davis as a man who encourages his nephew in expressing himself while also doing some mysterious things. Brian Tyree Henry is amazing as Morales’ father Jefferson Davis as a cop who isn’t fond of Spider-Man as he’s more concerned about his son’s education and potential as he has a great scene that play into the idea of loss and determination. Nicolas Cage is incredible as Spider-Man Noir as film noir-inspired version of the character who speaks in noir-based dialogue as well as provide some insight into the struggles that Morales is dealing with.
Jake Johnson is marvelous as Peter B. Parker/Spider-Man as a different version of the character from an alternate dimension who is down on his luck and is dealing with loss and failure as he tries to be a mentor to Morales in the hope he can find meaning as Spider-Man once again. Hailee Steinfeld is remarkable as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman as another Spider-Man from an alternate dimension who befriends Morales where she understands his growing pains while being aware of what is at stake when it comes to the Kingpin. Liev Schreiber is phenomenal as Wilson Fisk/the Kingpin as a crime boss who is trying to create a machine to reach into other dimensions to kill other versions of Spider-Man in the hopes he can rectify things he’s lost and end Spider-Man. Finally, there’s Shameik Moore in a sensational performance as Miles Morales as a teenage kid from Brooklyn who is struggling with his new school and later the new powers he is given where he copes with the role he has to play as well as try to become the best Spider-Man he can be.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a magnificent film from Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman. Featuring a great ensemble cast, a riveting screenplay, a fun music soundtrack, and spectacular visuals that mixes all form of animation styles. It’s a film that isn’t just an adventurous animated film but it’s also a Spider-Man film that play into its themes while making it feel fresh and new. In the end, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an outstanding film from Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman.
Spider-Man Films: Spider-Man - Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man 3 - The Amazing Spider-Man - The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - Spider-Man: Homecoming - Spider-Man: Far from Home - Spider-Man: No Way Home - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse - (Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse)
© thevoid99 2018
