Computer animation is a wonderful art form and many of the most enduring and universally loved films come from the medium. The trouble is, ever since Pixar established its feature film potential with Toy Story, computer animation has looked rather… same-y. Most of the artistic variation has been confined to 2D and stop-motion animation, whilst the majority of 3D animation has played it disappointingly safe. 2014’s The Lego Movie - directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller - is really the only notable animated feature that's deviated from the standard look and that was only to imitate stop-motion. Oddly, it's also a style that has been largely untouched by the comic book genre. Aside from The Incredibles - which doesn't really count as it's an original idea and not an adaptation - animated superheroes have mainly found themselves in 2D, straight-to-DVD films. Once again, the Lego films are the only major exception with The Lego Batman Movie, which you could also argue barely counts given its parodic nature.
On the subject of superhero films, everyone likes to talk about superhero fatigue these days. Mainly it seems to be people who don't do much research before going to see a film and therefore aren't aware of the full range on offer. Or it's sniffy critics who can't believe audiences aren't flocking to see the latest experimental French masterpiece that's half in Latin. As far as I'm concerned, the extent of superhero saturation has been greatly exaggerated simply because most filmgoers watch whatever has the biggest poster. More often than not, this is a superhero film, but if you dig even slightly deeper you'll find there's far more on offer. Also, it's not like Hollywood hasn't always churned out bucket loads of generic action films, it's just now they have a more distinct identity which, if anything, is an improvement. Frankly, many of these superhero films are rather good.
One superhero, however, that I could understand getting tired of is Spider-Man. The amount of times this character has been rebooted and remade in such a short space of time is ridiculous. I actually really liked Spider-Man Homecoming and I still believe Tom Holland is the best on-screen Peter Parker yet, but I wouldn't blame you if you never even gave him a chance, especially considering how unremarkable the Amazing Spider-Man films were. Spider-Man has been handled by Sony Pictures ever since his official cinematic debut in 2002 and they haven't been consistently great at it. Sony Pictures have also not been consistently great when it comes to their animation department. The Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs films are quite good (probably thanks again to directors Lord and Miller) but Sony are mostly known for disasters like the Smurfs films and, most dismally, The Emoji Movie.
So, imagine my surprise when Sony Pictures Animation releases the most original animated film and the most original superhero film in decades and it stars Spider-Man. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is seriously one of the best films I have seen all year. Whichever executive at Sony had the guts to greenlight such a weird film has all of my respect because this is unlike anything I've ever seen before and it's probably not going to make nearly as much money as it should. Comic book films have tended to be rather reluctant to fully embrace the strangeness of their source material. It's somewhat of a paradox, in fact, that one of the nerdiest, most inaccessible mediums has been adapted into some of the most mainstream and successful films in recent years. Before this film, Avengers: Infinity War's shocking ending was the closest Hollywood ever reached to true comic book madness.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse indulges in comic book mayhem much more than Infinity War did and it does so with utterly delightful glee and irreverence. Once again, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who should really be in charge of Sony Pictures Animation) can take some of the credit given their roles as producers. Their fingerprints are all over the story, which Lord is also credited with devising. Multiple Spider-Men (or Spider-Mans? Spider-People?) are forced to team up when they're whisked away from their own dimensions and squeezed into the dimension of rookie Spider-Man Miles Morales. It's an ingenious idea that's packed with potential but also fraught with risk. With so many characters from such contrasting backgrounds, how on earth are all of these going to be balanced? Fortunately, Lord and co-writer Rodney Rotham's screenplay handles everything seamlessly. It appreciates the differences between the various Spider-People whilst also finding their common ground, creating a diverse but cohesive experience.
Another reason Into the Spider-Verse works so well is because it's animated. The film could have been live action but it would not have made it to the dizzying heights it reaches in animated form. The film is a mesmerising visual cacophony, like an animated piece of jazz music (that's taken up superhero cosplay). No other animated film has tried anything this ambitious. They could have simply cel-shaded the models and said, “Wow, doesn't this kinda look like a comic book?” Except, it's so much more than that. Each frame is so painstakingly thought out, with intricate detail and incredible invention, merging and juxtaposing a menagerie of styles that accentuate and elevate each other with astonishing results. Colour is used to especially hypnotic effect, swirling into superlative psychedelic canvasses in the film's transfixing climax. This approach to animation perfectly compliments the film's premise, as the eclecticism of the visuals reflects and supports the eclecticism of the Spider-People.
Of course, none of this would be as effective if the Spider-People weren't compelling characters. Fortunately, Lord and Rotham's script makes lots of space amidst the spectacle to learn about the characters, their relationships and their struggles. Choosing Miles Morales as the central Spider-Man over Peter Parker was an inspired decision; we know Parker extremely well by now, whereas Morales is far less familiar. His relationship with his father is explored with particular depth and it's more nuanced and emotionally accessible than the usual dead parent superhero backstory. Peter Parker does appear, but in an older and sadder form. It's quite a daring depiction of the character, seeing the typically youthful and optimistic Spider-Man in the midst of a depressing mid-life crisis. Gwen Stacy (aka Spider-Woman) also reveals a similarly tragic backstory that leads her to reluctantly develop a charming connection with Morales.
The rest of the Spider-People have their own unique characterisations (Nicholas Cage's melodramatic Spider-Man Noir is particularly brilliant) but they all know what's it's like being outcasts in their own dimensions. This shared experience allows them to bond with each other whilst maintaining their assorted identities to work together as an effective superhero team. It's a consistent theme throughout Into the Spider-Verse; a diverse group functioning together thanks to both their differences and their similarities. It's present in the story, the characters, the animation, even the music, which reinforces the usual orchestral film score with a visceral hip-hop edge. It's an important and universally relevant message that's smartly and intuitively told, adding another remarkable layer to an already remarkable film. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sets a new standard for animated films and superhero films, dazzling and engaging with every intensely innovative frame.
On the subject of superhero films, everyone likes to talk about superhero fatigue these days. Mainly it seems to be people who don't do much research before going to see a film and therefore aren't aware of the full range on offer. Or it's sniffy critics who can't believe audiences aren't flocking to see the latest experimental French masterpiece that's half in Latin. As far as I'm concerned, the extent of superhero saturation has been greatly exaggerated simply because most filmgoers watch whatever has the biggest poster. More often than not, this is a superhero film, but if you dig even slightly deeper you'll find there's far more on offer. Also, it's not like Hollywood hasn't always churned out bucket loads of generic action films, it's just now they have a more distinct identity which, if anything, is an improvement. Frankly, many of these superhero films are rather good.
One superhero, however, that I could understand getting tired of is Spider-Man. The amount of times this character has been rebooted and remade in such a short space of time is ridiculous. I actually really liked Spider-Man Homecoming and I still believe Tom Holland is the best on-screen Peter Parker yet, but I wouldn't blame you if you never even gave him a chance, especially considering how unremarkable the Amazing Spider-Man films were. Spider-Man has been handled by Sony Pictures ever since his official cinematic debut in 2002 and they haven't been consistently great at it. Sony Pictures have also not been consistently great when it comes to their animation department. The Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs films are quite good (probably thanks again to directors Lord and Miller) but Sony are mostly known for disasters like the Smurfs films and, most dismally, The Emoji Movie.
So, imagine my surprise when Sony Pictures Animation releases the most original animated film and the most original superhero film in decades and it stars Spider-Man. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is seriously one of the best films I have seen all year. Whichever executive at Sony had the guts to greenlight such a weird film has all of my respect because this is unlike anything I've ever seen before and it's probably not going to make nearly as much money as it should. Comic book films have tended to be rather reluctant to fully embrace the strangeness of their source material. It's somewhat of a paradox, in fact, that one of the nerdiest, most inaccessible mediums has been adapted into some of the most mainstream and successful films in recent years. Before this film, Avengers: Infinity War's shocking ending was the closest Hollywood ever reached to true comic book madness.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse indulges in comic book mayhem much more than Infinity War did and it does so with utterly delightful glee and irreverence. Once again, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who should really be in charge of Sony Pictures Animation) can take some of the credit given their roles as producers. Their fingerprints are all over the story, which Lord is also credited with devising. Multiple Spider-Men (or Spider-Mans? Spider-People?) are forced to team up when they're whisked away from their own dimensions and squeezed into the dimension of rookie Spider-Man Miles Morales. It's an ingenious idea that's packed with potential but also fraught with risk. With so many characters from such contrasting backgrounds, how on earth are all of these going to be balanced? Fortunately, Lord and co-writer Rodney Rotham's screenplay handles everything seamlessly. It appreciates the differences between the various Spider-People whilst also finding their common ground, creating a diverse but cohesive experience.
Another reason Into the Spider-Verse works so well is because it's animated. The film could have been live action but it would not have made it to the dizzying heights it reaches in animated form. The film is a mesmerising visual cacophony, like an animated piece of jazz music (that's taken up superhero cosplay). No other animated film has tried anything this ambitious. They could have simply cel-shaded the models and said, “Wow, doesn't this kinda look like a comic book?” Except, it's so much more than that. Each frame is so painstakingly thought out, with intricate detail and incredible invention, merging and juxtaposing a menagerie of styles that accentuate and elevate each other with astonishing results. Colour is used to especially hypnotic effect, swirling into superlative psychedelic canvasses in the film's transfixing climax. This approach to animation perfectly compliments the film's premise, as the eclecticism of the visuals reflects and supports the eclecticism of the Spider-People.
Of course, none of this would be as effective if the Spider-People weren't compelling characters. Fortunately, Lord and Rotham's script makes lots of space amidst the spectacle to learn about the characters, their relationships and their struggles. Choosing Miles Morales as the central Spider-Man over Peter Parker was an inspired decision; we know Parker extremely well by now, whereas Morales is far less familiar. His relationship with his father is explored with particular depth and it's more nuanced and emotionally accessible than the usual dead parent superhero backstory. Peter Parker does appear, but in an older and sadder form. It's quite a daring depiction of the character, seeing the typically youthful and optimistic Spider-Man in the midst of a depressing mid-life crisis. Gwen Stacy (aka Spider-Woman) also reveals a similarly tragic backstory that leads her to reluctantly develop a charming connection with Morales.
The rest of the Spider-People have their own unique characterisations (Nicholas Cage's melodramatic Spider-Man Noir is particularly brilliant) but they all know what's it's like being outcasts in their own dimensions. This shared experience allows them to bond with each other whilst maintaining their assorted identities to work together as an effective superhero team. It's a consistent theme throughout Into the Spider-Verse; a diverse group functioning together thanks to both their differences and their similarities. It's present in the story, the characters, the animation, even the music, which reinforces the usual orchestral film score with a visceral hip-hop edge. It's an important and universally relevant message that's smartly and intuitively told, adding another remarkable layer to an already remarkable film. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse sets a new standard for animated films and superhero films, dazzling and engaging with every intensely innovative frame.
9.4/10
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