By
Emily Maier
Rated:
PG
When
Miles Morales is bitten by a radioactive spider in an abandoned section of
subway, he is forcibly thrust into the role of a hero. While attempting to find
answers about his newfound powers, Miles unwittingly runs into Kingpin, a
villain hell-bent on bringing back his deceased wife and son by any means
necessary.
After witnessing the debut of Kingpin’s “collider,” Miles learns the
device is able to bring multiple dimensions together – though it also runs the
risk of creating a black hole in the middle of New York. Though the first
attempt to start the collider largely ends in failure, it does bring various
“spiderpeople” from other dimensions into Miles’ world. The heroes quickly realize
they will have to work as a team if they ever want to defeat Kingpin and go
back to their respective realities.
For a
movie featuring a cartoon pig called Spider-Ham, I was a little uncertain about
all the buzz surrounding “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”. Upon leaving the theater, however, I
can easily see why this movie recently won Best Animated Motion Picture at the
Golden Globes. The combination of stunning animation, original narrative and emotive
voice actors paved a clear path for the movie’s win.
In
terms of casting, Shameik Moore did an amazing job voicing Miles, coming across
as naïve yet determined to do the right thing. Jack Johnson gave life to his
role as Peter B. Parker – a Spider-Man past his prime – and Hailee Steinfeld
suited her role as the ever-competent Gwen Stacy. Though they only had minor
roles, Nicolas Cage and John Mulaney’s characters both served as great comic
relief.
The thought
and care that went into each character design was fantastic. Miles and the two other
central characters, Peter and Gwen, are especially well-rounded and relatable. They
all have unique personalities that are reflected in their clothes and overall appearances.
Because of this distinctiveness between characters, the movie never feels
cluttered despite having a sprawling cast.
Of
course, no review of “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” would be complete without mentioning the animation. This movie
truly has some of the best animation I’ve ever seen, with certain shots that
are not only visually stunning but incredibly original.
While some
movies just happen to be animated, “Into the Spider-Verse” was made to be an animated movie. A lot of the scenes simply
couldn’t have been pulled off any other way. The entire climax would have
looked ridiculous had they tried to create it using live-action but, because it
was animated, the sequence felt intense and visually striking. Furthermore, the
animation allowed the movie to retain the comic book style from which it was
born.
It was
especially refreshing to see a protagonist that doesn’t immediately take to the
role of a hero. Throughout the film, Miles struggles to harness his powers,
which ultimately makes the audience root for him even more. The movie reminds
the viewer that while being a hero isn’t easy, it certainly isn’t impossible.
When Miles says, “Anyone can wear the mask,” he means that everyone has the
ability to have a positive impact on the world. “Into the Spider-Verse” shows the audience that heroes come in
all shapes and sizes, and the movie challenges the viewer to become one of
those heroes.
Overall,
“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is
one of those rare movies that can appeal to people of all ages. With a PG
rating, the movie is safe for kids, yet it still manages to deal with mature
themes that will keep older viewers hooked. “Into the Spider-Verse” knows when
to be cute, funny, or heartfelt and it pulls off a convoluted plot with
finesse. I would recommend it to any moviegoer, especially for anyone with an
appreciation for animation.
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