Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Is Must-Watch Superhero Cinema

As the first theatrical animated Spider-Man release, 2018’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was an unforgettable experience. It dazzled with mind-blowing animation, played insightfully with the comic book lore, and had uproarious fun with the material. It also took itself seriously enough to be recognized not only as a top-tier Spider-Man film but as the best animated film of the year, garnering the Academy Award for Best Animated Picture.

So, four and a half years later, it was a tall order for a sequel to live up to that mesmerizing feature. Thankfully, the same talent returned to deliver another stellar animated outing for the familiar web-slinging superhero. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is far from just being more Spider-Man with a cartoon coating—it may be the best Spider-Man movie by a mile.

Shamiek Moore returns as the voice of Spider-Man (Miles Morales) in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Sony Pictures Animation/© 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

It helps that it’s easy to identify with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and his familiar underdog traits. He struggles to balance school work and superhero stuff, dashing between teacher conferences and foiling bad guys. His home life is rocky, as he regularly comes into conflict with his scrutinizing father (Brian Tyree Henry) and mother (Luna Lauren Vélez). That much we can expect from Spider-Man, made all the more fast-paced and dynamic by Sony’s eye-popping animation style.

A new threat looms for Miles in a portal-summoning villain, the Spot (Jason Schwartzman). He first appears as a simple ATM robber but soon becomes a more significant threat to the multiverse when he learns the full extent of his powers. After Miles learns he may have been partially responsible for this villain’s origin story, he decides to take charge by following the Spot’s trail of crime

Miles and Gwen versus the Spot. Sony Pictures Animation/© 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

If you’re worried the whole film is just going to be about stopping yet another threat to the multiverse, relax. There’s more to this film than just a slew of cameos like Spider-Man: No Way Home or the variant variety of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. You’ll still get all that, but more as frosting on the cake, with spider-themed superheroes like cowboys and cats as a comical part of the background.

The story is more about Miles trying to prove himself in more ways than one. His most crucial battle is trying to prove to the Spider-Verse leader, Miguel “Spider-Man 2099” O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), that he’s a true Spider-Man. The conflict becomes a fascinating one as it’s more or less a fight for the relevance of Miles and breaking convention.

Spider-Woman Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) and Spider-Man Miguel O’ Hara (Oscar Isaac). Sony Pictures Animation/© 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

More unique Spider-Man variants are thrown into the mix of the main supporting cast this time. A highlight is Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), a UK-based rocker who appears to be from a dimension of shifting colors and classic punk cut-out designs. He’s built up for most of the first act and does not disappoint on his second-act debut. One of the Spider-Men whose world we get to see firsthand is Spider-Man India (Karan Soni) of Mumbattan, a mashup of Mumbai and Manhattan. There’s also something charming about the exaggerated ’90s brooding of Ben Reilly, AKA Scarlet Spider (Andy Samberg).

The animation remains just as dazzling as before, embodying various vibrant styles, some of which might be spoilers to even mention. Gwen’s world remains a highlight for its painterly background qualities—watch as her room instantly transforms from a bleeding mess of cool colors into a lighter dose of hues when she reaches an understanding with her father. Scenes like this are as heartfelt as they are eye-popping.

Gwen’s pink and blue lighting follows her from her own world into the wider Spider-Verse. Sony Pictures Animation/© 2022 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The whole narrative of Miles fighting for his place in breaking canon and Gwen fighting for her acceptance by her dad makes for some incredible arcs. There’s such a freeing thrill to have a film be this overt, stressing its relevancy without hiding behind much of a comic book veneer. Miguel outright calls Miles not a real Spider-Man for not adhering to the canon lens and is called out by Miles himself.

Many others have already pointed out that Gwen’s color palette, which favors the pink and blue of her costume, by extension also represents the colors of the trans pride flag. This hardly seems like an accident given the literal trans flag and sign on her bedroom wall and the pin on her jacket. Some have argued that this is meant to imply that Gwen herself is trans, but it’s perhaps best recognized more as a metaphor in the long tradition of superhero stories that have used powers and alter egos as stand-ins for race, sexuality, and other identities. Either way, this is the sort of rebellious vigor that has felt missing from recent comic book movies, and it’s an absolute delight to have it feature in a film that succeeds at still being fun and intense at the same time.

Across the Spider-Verse is intoxicating in its combined ease of humor and seriousness, which (like the first film) make it far more than an animated Spider-Man movie better suited for kids. This is easily one of the best superhero movies, acting as a love letter to fans, a postmodern take on the current trend of superhero cinema, and a wildly imaginative use of media. The fact that another film is on the way makes it all the more exciting, teasing the viewer with more brilliant filmmaking to come. We need more comic book movies that feel this fun and meaningful.