Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse movie review

MOVIE TITLE: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

This truly inventive animation is now playing in theaters worldwide.

RATING: PG

LENGTH: 2 hours 20 minutes

MOVIE REVIEW MOM GRADE: A

IN A NUTSHELL:

This is only Part 1 of a two-part sequel. Sweet! Fans are thrilled, rewarding the movie with $221 million at the worldwide opening. It was directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, a truly magical team.

Writing credits go to Phil Lord, Chris Miller, and David Callaham. The story is about Miles Morales who catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of Spider-People charged with protecting its very existence. When the heroes clash on how to handle a new threat, Miles must redefine what it means to be a hero.

THINGS I LIKED:

The animation is colorful, energetic, and impressively expressive. It combines classic comic book design with modern-day CGI for a thrilling effect. Each frame looks like it came straight out of a moving comic book. Fans are completely nerding out!
The cast of voice talents includes Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Jason Schwartzman, Brian Tyree Henry, J. K. Simmons, Luna Lauren Velez, Greta Lee, Rachel Dratch, Jorma Taccone, Karan Soni, and Shea Whigham.
The script is extremely inventive, funny, and heartwarming all at the same time.
We get some creative villains that come from various multiverses.
Lots and lots of action!
The movie takes place across 6 dimensions with 240 characters in it and over 1,000 animators working on it! It’s the largest crew of any animated movie ever made!
So many Easter eggs. They include references to six decades of movies, video games, cartoons, and comics. Wow.
This is one of those movies that you HAVE to watch more than once in order to catch everything. Scratch that…two or three times! The frames fly so fast and furiously that you simply can’t see it all.
I’ve never read comic books, but I hear the movie stays true to the source material.
I got a kick out of the Spot villain, the Lego spider verse, and the Indian Spider-Man. haha
I’ve always loved animated movies that include live-action characters.
The cliffhanger will leave you counting the days until the next installment.
Surprising twists caught me off guard. Sweet.
There is plenty of humor, both spoken and visual.
I’ve just seen a Nicolas Cage cameo in two different movies in two days! His appearance always gets a laugh from the audience. The other is in the new movie that just came out: The Flash. It’s another fun adventure into the metaverse!
You can definitely enjoy this movie without having seen the first Spider-verse one; however, you’ll understand and appreciate it even more if you have.
If you love Hailee Steinfeld’s character of Gwen Stacey, you’ll be excited to know that a female-focused spin-off is currently in development.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

Some viewers and fans will be annoyed that the movie doesn’t actually end at the end and they’ll have to wait an entire year to see the rest of the story. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-verse is scheduled to be released on March 29, 2024.
Some of the action scenes are chaotic and happen so fast that you don’t have time to really savor the moment.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

This is not just some random kids’ movie. It’s very mature and filled with humor and insights that adults can enjoy.
Some Spanish is spoken without subtitles.

THEMES:

Honesty
Family
Truth
Friendship
Sacrifice
Jealousy
Destiny

FUNNY LINES:

“I joined the band so I can hurt my feelings with sticks.” – Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld)

“Why do people say ‘ATM Machines’?” The M stands for machines!” – Miles Morales Spider-Man (Shameik Moore)

“Don’t Eat, Pray, Love me, Bro.” – Spider-Man India (Pavitr Prabhakar)

INTERESTING LINES:

“Screaming their name usually works.” – Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld)
“He kicked his own butt.” – Miles Morales (Shameik Moore)
“Bad things happen, but good things happen too.” – Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson
“It’s all possible.” – Miles Morales (Shameik Moore)
“He hasn’t always had it easy. He’s not the only one.” – Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld)