Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

So, at the same time the Tom Holland Spider-Man franchise is going on, there's also this animated multi-verse franchise. The Holland Spider-Man works in the context of what's going on in all the other Marvel movies, and this one is its own separate deal.

Of course, right now, the Marvel movies are in "Phase 9" or something like that, and they're all currently into the multiverse theme... but this movie came out in 2018 and I guess offered a sneak-peak at what the multiverse would look like.

This movie's Spider-Man is named Miles Morales (Shameik Moore). One of the ideas forwarded is that anyone can be Spider-Man. That said, the movie still features Peter Parker, but he dies. Then, the multiverse opens, and we get to meet a few other Spiders from other places -- including Spider-Woman (aka Spider-Gwen), Spider-Man Noir, and even Spider-Ham.

To say that the movie is non-stop and fast-paced would be an understatement. I still remember watching this one in the theater when it was originally released. There were moments when I just needed to close my eyes and reset. At least on the DVD viewing, I can pause, occasionally rewind if I want, and Google stuff on my phone for further explanation. That's helpful.

Earlier today, I was reading Roger Ebert's reviews on the Star Wars trilogy. In those, he noted how each of the films filled the screen from corner to corner. Everywhere you looked, you would see no cut corners, just amazing attention to detail. That's probably true, but Into the Spider-Verse takes Ebert's observation and multiples it by 100. Sometimes it will even split the screen into two, three, or six boxes, like a comic book; but unlike a comic, each "panel" is video, not static, and your eyes dash from panel to panel to try to capture everything you're being shown. This can be a challenge visual experience to take in.

Letterboxd and IMDb show that this and the sequel, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse are two of the highest rated Superhero and animated movies out there. it's easy to see why, and both merit repeated viewings. The storyline isn't difficult to follow, but there's a lot to see and appreciate. One viewing isn't enough.

Rating: 5/5 stars

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