'Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse' review: So-so story, but dazzling animation
Spider-Man/Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) in "Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse." Credit: Sony Pictures Animation
PLOT A teenage superhero faces a villain he may have created.
CAST Voices of Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jason Schwartzman
RATED PG (action and mild language)
LENGTH 2:20
WHERE Area theaters
BOTTOM LINE An overly busy mid-trilogy chapter, elevated by dazzling animation.
Look out, here comes the middle movie!
Every franchise has one — the setup to the big finale — even if it doesn’t come precisely in the middle. They all hope to be “The Empire Strikes Back,” which introduced thrilling notes of drama and darkness into a story that began as breezy escapism. Sometimes they succeed (“The Avengers: Infinity War”), more often they don’t (“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”). So how does “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” stack up?
First, the good news: The Oscar-winning pop-art animation of the first movie (“Into the Spider-Verse”) is even more dazzling. There’s real soul in the eyes of our hero, teenage Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), and a compelling mix of bravery and vulnerability in his crush, Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld). Of the many new Spideys on display, the coolest is surely Spider-Punk (Daniel Kaluuya), rendered as a Xeroxed cutout, while the most menacing is Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), who comes with arm-mounted blades and a grim sense of purpose. (“You’re the only Spider-Man who isn’t funny,” observes Jake Johnson as the easygoing Peter B. Parker.)
Now, the bad news. “Across the Spider-Verse” is overlong and overstuffed. There’s an underwhelming new villain, The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), who blames Miles for his current state as a faceless wraith pockmarked by gaping holes. The movie tells us he’s an existential threat, but his bumbling antics and snarky voice make him seem more of a nuisance. Meanwhile, Miles learns that O’Hara leads an entire Spider-Society, though it's far from the utopia it first appears. What’s more, this movie has not one major theme but two: The push-pull between children and their parents, and the grander notion of the “canon event” — the tragedy that shapes a superhero’s story and must not be undone.
Even for a movie that embraces comic-book excess — several characters are introduced when their debut issue plops onto a stack of other issues — this is a lot to pack in. With three writers (including Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, of “The Lego Movie”) and as many directors, “Across the Spider-Verse” barely holds itself together. But oh, that animation! A single sequence might encompass a dozen styles and mediums, from abstract sketches to radiant watercolor to Ben Day dots. (Yes, it’s all done by computer — but still.) The breathtaking visuals help alleviate the middle-movie doldrums and bode well for this franchise’s final act.
Here's what some other critics had to say about "Spider-Man: Across the Spiderverse"
The heart and humor are still there, but a serious side also permeates the impressive follow-up. — USA Today
The movie may be a product and just another IP machine, but it feels human-made, and genuinely witty. — Chicago Tribune
This feels like it could have been the first movie designed to earn a thumbs-up from Andy Warhol and Stephen Hawking.-- Variety
Across the Spider-Verse vibrates with the same energy as its predecessor even when it feels more leaden with back story. — The Hollywood Reporter
t gets drunk on itself — sometimes sad-drunk to the brink of a hangover, slurrily outstaying its welcome. — Daily Telegraph (UK)
