Review: 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse'—The Best Superhero Film Yet?

I remember when it was announced that the new Spider-Man would be Miles Morales. Despite different versions of the same superhero being a norm as old as comic books themselves, there were the inevitable accusations of pandering to political correctness. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse offers a Spider-Man which feels obvious and essential to a new age of superheroes. It's always a positive for more diverse representation on screen, sure, but this film paints Miles as such a fitting successor to Peter Parker that all of the controversies seem to evaporate.

It's not just the character which reflects a more modern millennial experience. The movie moves along at a frenetic clip, full of postmodern humour, including some jabs at the conventions of its own genre. It may not be surprising to discover Into the Spider-Verse was co-written by Phil Lord, a co-writer and co-director of The Lego Movie. Indeed, its one of the few films that you could compare Spider-Verse to in terms of humour and unique style.

Speaking of comparisons to other films, Into the Spider-Verse has less in common with the other Spider-Man films and more with cartoonishly stylised cult films such as Speed Racer and the only other film I've ever seen that feels like reading a comic book, Scott Pilgrim vs the World. The film, though three-dimensional and computer generated, owes a lot of its style to hand-drawn graphic art, such as multiple panels, thought bubbles, hatching effects, and bright primary colours. It's easy to forget that animation is an art form that allows for literally anything, as most western 3D animation shares the same aesthetic that can be traced back to Pixar's early films. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse resists that urge, instead of carving out a look we have literally never seen before in film.

Despite stretching over five different universes, the story itself feels very intimate and personal. Yes, we are treated to another Spider-Man origin story, but this time Spider-Man is Miles Morales, a young mixed-race kid from Queens, who is bitten by a genetically altered spider and starts to develop powers. Peter Parker is already a famous but controversial vigilante hero in this universe, but after being killed by Kingpin, Miles takes it upon himself to continue where Parker leaves off.

One thing leads to another, and different Spider-Men (Spiders-Man?) from five alternate universes find themselves in Miles' reality. First, we're introduced to Miles' reluctant mentor Peter B. Parker, a parallel universe version of the character we're all familiar with, but who's let himself go a little, both physically and emotionally.

We also meet Spider-Gwen, a version of Gwen Stacey who gets bitten by the spider; Peni Parker, a mecha anime schoolgirl; Spider-Man Noir, a 1930s hard-boiled detective version of Spider-Man; and Spider-Ham, a talking cartoon pig. Rather pleasingly, these characters are all actual alternate universe figures in the Marvel comics. Not only does this fit with the theme of anyone being able to wear the mask, but it's also a fitting tribute to the history and legacy as a character, as well as opening up exciting, almost infinite possibilities for the future. It is poignant but somehow fitting that this is the first post-Stan Lee Marvel film, as it honours the spirit of his work whilst reassuring us that the great power and the great responsibility of the future of perhaps his most enduring creation is in safe hands.

5/5