Spider Man: Into The Spider-Verse

Spider Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018), Columbia Pictures, Sony Pictures Animation, Marvel Entertainment, Marvel Animation

Going into this film I had very few expectations; after all, this was an animated spider man film created by Sony Pictures Animation, a film company responsible for the critically abysmal The Emoji Movie. But, luckily where previous films like The Emoji Movie may have tarnished the reputation of Sony, Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse excels in restoring faith in the brand. For Sony, this film was like catching lightning in a bottle: a stylishly animated feature film with an intriguing (and even at times, gritty) storyline, some great performances, a killer soundtrack, and fun, engaging action sequences. It was almost too well done for the companies own good. But, more on that in a bit, let’s talk about the plot.

We follow Miles Morales, a teenage boy growing up in Brooklyn and transferring to a prep school, much to his dismay. His city remains under the protection of Spider Man (played by Chris Pine), but, after a series of unfortunate events, Miles finds himself with the great power and great responsibility of becoming the next Spider Man. Meanwhile, after a dimensional rift tears a dead beat, aging, slobbish Peter B. Parker from his own dimension to that of Miles Morales’, he soon finds that, in order to get home, he must train young Miles. With the aid of other spider-men, spider-women, and even a spider-pig, Miles begins to grow in his newfound abilities and becomes the next Spider Man. The film is also full of twists and turns along the way that keep the audience guessing and engaged. In terms of plot, the film goes the tonal route similar to what one would see in a Disney Marvel Studios production, with certain adult elements slightly cut back so as to appeal to a broader family audience. However, that is not to say that the film is entirely child-friendly; themes of loss, depression, and familial struggles are very much a part of the plot and underlying message. But enough about the story, how about those visuals?

Now, to not speak of the animation in this movie would be doing the animators a great disservice. This film has style and color to spare, so much so that my eyes even felt a little strained after the credits rolled. It has a certain cell-shaded look similar to that of former video game company, Telltale Games’ “The Walking Dead” series, which really works well for the obviously comic-book styled editing (which often reminded me of the rapid, impactful editing of Baby Driver and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World director Edgar Wright). Oftentimes, thoughts or sentences said by characters would appear on screen in yellow boxes or word bubbles in true comic book fashion, with the occasional “Pow!” or “Blam!” action phrases sprinkled into action sequences. With no pun intended, the film was a visual marvel.

Spider Man: Into the Spider-Verse serves as an excellent example of animation that Sony Pictures will be hard pressed to repeat in any other animated film they produce in the future. It sets the bar so high that I begin turn my eyes to larger companies such as DreamWorks or Disney to see what they may do in answer to a film as rich in story and as ambitious in style as this. I will definitely be adding this film to my collection once it comes out on Blu-ray and DVD, to enjoy and analyze further. I look forward to the future of Sony Animation and Spider Man.

Overall Rating: Most Triumphant!

Entertainment Value: Edge of My Seat