Review : Spider-man : Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Written by Farrel Zaki (Kru’22)
After the success of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018, there are great responsibilities for Miles and his Spider-Friends to exceed audience expectations this year. It is indisputable that Into the Spider-Verse is considered the best Spider-Man movie to date. Until Across the Spider-Verse swings into the theaters.
Across the Spider-Verse is an absolute triumph that takes the animated superhero genre to soaring new heights. Picking up where its predecessor left off, Across the Spider-Verse delves deeper into the vast of the Spider-Verse and delivers a compelling and emotional story that explores the meaning of being a Spider-Man that can resonate with the audience.
In terms of storytelling, this movie increased the share of the narrative to the perspective of Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) which leaves her with as much influence on the story direction as Miles (Shameik Moore). We see both characters’ development progresses as they both face new challenges that explore heartfelt themes of family and acceptance while holding big responsibilities as Webslingers. The story shows the struggle of being a Spider-Man. While Spider-Man is known for its quips and comedic behavior, there are so much more complexities that are explored in this movie. This movie also maintains a perfect balance between humor, heartfelt moments, and high-stakes superhero action that can be enjoyed by the audience.
The supporting voice cast delivers excellent yet somewhat funny performances from both the new and returning cast. Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) returns and spends most of the movie with his adorable infant Mayday. Other vast Spider-People such as Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), and Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) perfectly captures the uniqueness of each Spider-People. The main villain called The Spot also surprisingly has a HUGE role in this movie. Voiced brilliantly by Jason Schwartzman, the spot is a funny yet menacing threat to the multiverse. The big boss itself, Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Issac) is a more serious Spider-Man that protects the multiverse. Issac captures the broken and mature Spider-Man so perfectly with his threatening voice.
As a long-time Spider-Man fan, this movie also utilizes the concept of “Spider-Verse” to a maximum. It showcases the incredible diversity and possibilities within The Spider-Man mythology. There are so many references in this movie to many Spider-Men in other media. When Miles stepped into the HQ of the Spider-Society, I almost can’t stop smiling at seeing the many versions of Spider-Man that pop up in this movie. This movie is truly crafted by the fans.
What truly sets Across the Spider-Verse apart from other animated movies is its ability to tell a story with unique and stunning visuals. Big credits to all the animators that put their hearts into making this movie to perfection. Each Spider-Man and each universe has its distinct personalities that characterized them so perfectly. It is also incredible to enjoy this movie that blends the creative animation style and storytelling to capture the tone of each scene. The result is a breathtaking display of colors, textures, and dynamic action sequences that are truly special to watch.
Across the Spider-verse is THE phenomenal sequel that lives up to the high expectations set by its predecessor. Everything about this movie is beautifully crafted by the heart of the fans and for the fans. It offers a spectacular unique animation style and stunning visuals that push the boundaries of what animation can achieve to tell an amazing story.
