In 2018, the animated Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse changed not only the comic book universe, but also animation itself as the mix of bold visuals, new techniques and brilliantly bonkers moments came together to make what many people believe to be the best ever Spider-Man movie (live action or animated).
Now, five years later, we have a sequel that is just as daring, innovative and entertaining as the original as it picks up the story of Spider-Man Miles Morales (Moore), the web-slinging superhero living on one version of Earth (Earth-1610, since you’re asking).
Last time, there may have been a handful of other-universe Spideys (remember Spider-Ham, and Spider-Man Noir, as voiced by Nicolas Cage?), but in Across The Spider-Verse there are hundreds of them as Miles finds himself in other universes thanks to a bad guy named The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), who creates wormholes that transport him to other places in the multiverse, causing chaos as he does so (and transporting Miles into a far darker plot, too).
There are some terrific new additions to the voice cast – including Oscar Isaac as Miguel (aka Spider-Man 2099), Spider-Punk Hobie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya) and kick-ass pregnant superhero Jessica Drew (Rae) – as well as the return of Steinfeld as Gwen (and in this movie, we get to see her own universe, too), and the plot gives each their own memorable moments, including the opening scenes that focus on Gwen and her relationship with her cop father.
Fans will love all the references to other Spider-Men and the multiverse, but there is just as much to love even if you’re a first-time visitor to Spidey’s world. There’s lots of action, inventive animation, breathtaking visuals and comic moments – plus blink and you’ll miss them cameos from fan favourites like Widow the masked horse, Spider-Rex and a couple of very familiar faces we won’t spoil here – but that’s not all.
Whether it’s Gwen and her dad, Miles and his parents or Jake Johnson’s Peter Parker and his (awwww) spider-baby, enough time is spent focusing on emotions and family to give this movie a real heart, so that everyone watching is fully invested in Miles and his friends and what will happen to them.
The only downside to this is a slight feeling of frustration as the movie speeds to a close, ending on a Back To The Future 2/Empire Strikes Back style cliffhanger with much to be resolved by the third movie, Spider-Man: Beyond The Spiderverse. Filmed back to back with this one, we’ll just have to wait and see if it answers all our questions about Miles and the multiverse when it is released in 2024.
Is Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse suitable for kids? Here are our parents’ notes...
There are multiple action scenes in the movie, and characters are often in danger, which may be a little intense for younger (under age 10) viewers.
This is darker than the first movie, and does feature scenes that look back at the death of well known characters. It is recommended for older children as the under 10s may find it a little too alarming in places.
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