Review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) by Charles H — 23 Dec 2018

Proving that the Marvel magic need not be restricted to live-action blockbusters, along comes "Into the Spider-Verse," with its aim to both celebrate and expand upon the Spider-Man mythos. Viewers that have only known Peter Parker to be the on-screen alter-ego of Spider-Man have to be willing to accept Miles Morales as the web-slinger in order for the film to work as intended.

This movie hinges on their being able to appreciate and care about Morales, and from the first seconds seeing him in his room, wearing headphones and singing along to a favorite song before school, I did.

He more than earns the mantle. The realities of his teenage existence - the awkwardness and the desire for acceptance - connect in a deeply meaningful way, not to mention that those scenes are also used to introduce another of the film's important characters.

The mentor / mentee relationship between Miles and Peter Parker is also a pivotal theme in this film, with the latter being depicted in a fashion at odds with previous film incarnations. The arrival of alternate reality Spider-Men, -Women, & -Pigs gives the film its humor, while also underscoring the central conceit.

As I was watching this movie, I thought back to the first time I viewed Spirited Away, another superior story fearlessly told through the spectrum of animation, whereby a kid is swept up into an adventure that tests preexisting notions concerning reality and travels into the realm of the fantastical.

Miles' emerging discoveries about his powers, the alternate realities where other super-powered individuals reside, and his worthiness to be a hero, and not just any hero, but THE Spider-Man, are all part of the fun.

The film also finds clever ways to pay tribute to Spider-Man lore - both the well-known and obscure facets - so those with an attentive eye will appreciate the many Easter eggs appearing throughout its running time.

The story is ambitious, the characters fully realized, action-scenes are a thrill to behold, and the animation style provides a bountiful aesthetic to tell this story. I feel very confident asserting that "Into the Spider-Verse" is one of the best films of 2018, even though there are many candidates I still need to view.

Whether young or old, the film's lasting message that anyone can be Spider-Man is the kind of encouragement everyone should register and find inspiring. The magic of movies is alive and well as long as films like this continue to be made.

"Into the Spider-Verse" isnt just the best Spider-Man film to date, it's also an all-time great animated film. Walking out of the cinema, I already felt eagerness at the notion of my second viewing.