Spider-Man Swings To New Heights with Into The Spiderverse
Joseph Gracey
Spider-Man is an icon as big as any other….
I know for a fact that I had heard of Spider-Man long before I had heard of other marvel heroes such as Captain America or Iron Man. The web-slinger has long been a figure of fame in comic books, so much so that he had multiple adventures set in separate alternate universes. Some were spin offs or riffs on Peter Parker such as Spider-Man Noir, but others were entirely different forays into the mythology such as Miguel O’Hara or Spider-Man 2099. Unlike the Peter Parker Spider- Man we knew up until O’Hara’s first appearance in 1992, this version of Spidey was an entirely new retelling, throwing curveballs to the reader such as different powers to the original Spider-Man. You could say this was the precursor to Miles Morales becoming Spider-Man (our hero of Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse) after Peter Parker’s death in the ultimate universe in 2011.
So as a casual fan of the character who loved the noughties Sam Raimi trilogy (yes even the dancing) you can imagine my delight when I first saw the trailer Into the Spider-Verse. When I left the cinema after finally having seen the film I was shocked by what I had just seen. The fantastic animation style of the film is a bold fresh-feeling choice that keeps in tone with the film throughout, even in its darkest moments. The action felt very fluid and was used excellently throughout the well paced story. The screening I attended was full of adults and children, there were definitely some low ball laughs in there for the kids which were apparently much funnier than I gave them credit for.
The film introduces the audience to a brand new character in affable teenage New-Yorker Miles Morales and then throws him in at the deep end facing off against his universe’s version of the Spider-Man rogues gallery. You see a kid struggling with fitting in somewhere he feels that he doesn’t belong, this upper class private boarding school, fighting his parents on what he thinks is best for him. And by the end of the movie you’ve experienced some really touching moments. Miles as a character, with the help of the other Spider-People, truly develops and by the end of the film he really is capable of being the great Spider-Man and a great student and son you want, for his sake, him to be.
“Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse” is easily the best Spider-Man film so far and definitely one of the most inventive and fresh animated films I’ve ever seen. The story is as superbly engaging and touching as the action is gripping. Backed by a powerful supporting cast which includes names such as Nicholas Cage and Chris Pine amongst others, Spider-Man: Into The Spiderverse places emphasis on the shortcomings and limitations of live-action Superhero films and as a result embarks into fresh terrain, leaving the audience hungry for more films to venture into the exciting ballpark of animation!
