Spider-Man is a never-ending theme here at IndieGala. So naturally, Across The Spider-Verse was the next logical step for us. But before we got to the latest installment from Marvel, we did a film review of No Way Home. You can read that particular article here.
However, when it comes to Across The Spider-Verse, we already announced it as an upcoming Spidey project. That was in our spring article about Spider-Man Remastered and among the Spidey-related projects… We mentioned Across The Spider-Verse. Check out that article here as well.
Oh and if you’re feeling particularly indulgent, Spider-Man Remastered is available for purchase the game here. And so is Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales here. But if you’re feeling extra indulgent, then feel free to pick and choose from our Marvel selection here. There’s plenty to see and of course to choose from here at IndieGala.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse And Going Back To The Multiverse
But we’re here about Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse. Look Marvel has been playing with the concept of Multiverse for years now. The studio did it well with No Way Home. And Marvel did it appallingly badly with Dr. Stranger and the Multiverse Of Madness. Heck. Marvel is toying with Multiverse yet again, but what’s the verdict of all that meddling in 2023? A surprisingly delightful and engaging movie that does the seemingly impossible. To make the sequel better than the first movie.
It took Marvel 5 years to get it done, but damn. It was worth the wait. And now Across The Spider-Verse is a fun, colorful albeit at times overwhelming and repetitive movie. However, it manages to get the audience emotionally invested and it delivers a solid middle entry into an otherwise overused franchise. Look, there have been countless Spider-Man movies over the years. Do we really need another one? Turns out we do. But right here in Across The Multi-Verse, the plot starts about a year after the events of Into The Spider-Verse. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) struggles with his double identity and the expectations of his parents regarding his future.
Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is in quite a similar situation. She’s feeling guilty about the death of Peter Parker, and her (secret) moonlighting as Spider-Woman is not sitting well with her father. However, when she’s recruited by Miguel O’Hara and Jessica Drew into the Spidey Society, she’ll eventually team up with Miles in order to stop The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) and his evil plans. But the process of fighting back and learning the truth is not limited solely to the Villain of The Week. Gwen and Miles will soon know the truth about who the real superheroes are. And who are the real threats to the Spider-Verse?
A Flawed But Masterful Movie?
Indeed it is. Across The Multiverse has problems with the length, pacing and repetition of some plot points. But at the same time, it manages to be emotionally engaging, entertaining and visually gorgeous in its style and substance. Yes, the ending seems a bit graded out and some characters don’t get enough love from the writers with the dense plot. But what we got in return is the introduction of some new and fascinating characters, rich backstories to the old ones and yes. A focus on character development.
l like how there are various themes of parenthood in this movie. We see Peter B. Parker as a new father for instance. Next, we see Miles’s parents having to deal with their son growing up and leaving the nest if you will. And finally, Gwen’s father struggles to come to terms with his daughter’s identity. I’m not a parent yet, but the movie clearly shows that it’s not an easy job. Regardless of which stage of parenthood we’re talking about. From the very difficult baby stage, to full the blown teenage stage.
Great Voice Acting And Snappy Dialogue
That’s in there as well. The movie is filled with humorous, snappy and clever dialogue. I especially loved the one between Gwen and Miles. But the cool dialogue doesn’t stop with the heroes. The Spot gets some amazing introduction as well. And some great development. We know his motives, his progression as a villain and his modus operandi. We get a fully formed villain in a character that’s already one of the most fascinating villains ever. It’s hard to top that but it can be done. And how amazing is the voice work here? Seriously.
Aside from the incredible animation, the voice work is the second-best part of this movie. Hallie is fantastic as Gwen, and so is Shameik Moore as Miles. Jake Johnson is incredible as Peter B. Parker and let’s face it. Karan Soni as Pavitr Prabhakar. However, my personal favorites in this particular area are Oscar Isaac in the role of Miguel O’Hara, Daniel Kaluuya (as Hobie Brown) and yes. Jason Schwartzman. He completely blew my mind here as The Spot. Jason totally nailed the essence of the character. The progression of his evil nature is there, and so is his gradual descend into madness. And with a dash of humor is just… Chef’s kiss.
The Animation Is Out Of This World!
Seriously. If Across The Universe doesn’t win an Oscar for best animated feature-length movie, then there’s NO justice in this world. The recognizable comic book style dominates here in the overall style of the animation. The craftsmanship, the attention to detail. The choice of visual palette and the creativity that’s been put into the animation are just incredible. Watching this movie might give you sensory overload but in a good way. Watching this movie is an experience all to itself, and the 5-year pause between the two movies, shows in the artistry. We get to meet plenty of Spider-Men characters here. But the thing is, how briefly we get to know them, all of them are a nice addition to the story. None of them feel out of place or forcefully put there.
Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse is A Mesmerizing Experience!
It Quite Is! Yes, it has its flaws, sure. As I mentioned earlier, it can be overwhelming and stuffy at times. And if the ending was about 30 minutes earlier, it would be the best. But those are small flaws that do not diminish the entire experience. The positives outweigh the negatives here. Heavy yet wonderful themes are explored here, but they make the whole experience that much richer. It’s a wonderful movie that deserves your attention for sure. Please watch it in the movie theater. Don’t do it at Disney Plus. You’ll be doing yourself a disservice if you don’t indulge yourself with popcorn and a soda of your choice. Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse demands it. You’ll thank me later.
