Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse surpasses all expectations

If you read our giveaway that we did for tickets to this film you’ll know that I was skeptical. A non-jokey animated superhero film can’t possibly be good can it? Teen Titans GO! To The Movies was successful because it was the exact same format and voices and the excellent television show. But Spider-Man has multiple incarnations, lots of films and more. That mythos is one of the first things that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse dispels with. Get over what you know; this is not that story, that’s basically what the film sets up in its trailer and within the first two minutes of it. At the end of the film I was correct and an animated superhero film can’t be good, it can be superior and better than most of the films out now from any angle that you look at it.

First off, the film looks like nothing you’ve ever seen before. Should I be wearing 3D glasses? Are some of these scenes out of focus? Why does it look like there are bubble colors like I used to see in my old comic books on the film screen? Is that anime?

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a film fan’s paradise. It’s so technically creative and wonderful that people who are passionate about the process will want to see the film multiple times.

The film is also a Spider-Man fan’s dream. It establishes the multi-verse in a way that’s not confusing to those who (like me….) had no clue about how multiple Spider-Men, Spider-People, Spider-Gwen or Spider-Man could exist. It’s fascinating and will satisfy those diehard fans who have been waiting to see Miles Morales on screen.

Miles Morales is not yet Spider-Man. According to the film, Miles lives in a world where Spider-Man is tragically killed by Kingpin. Thankfully at the same time, Miles Morales is bitten by a spider who, stop me if you’ve heard this before, is radioactive. It’s at the time that the film really takes off on a very fun sprint with moments of brilliance. Some of the colors and scenes in the film are art that I was not prepared to see on the movie screen in a superhero vehicle.

At times it will remind you of big-screen anime. Other times you’ll see current computer animation. There are collage and 3D elements-without the film being in 3D. Viewers will see speech bubbles with their conversations or action elements spelled out and more.

Old school viewers will pick up on the vibe that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is trying to impart at about: 45 into the film. There’s an old postage stamp that used to go on comic books that says, ‘Approved by the comics code authority’.  For me, that set the scene for the entire film. It was respectful to the character’s history, yet as an original, fun and hip version for today’s youth.

The film is rated PG and is appropriate for ages 7 and up. The action might be too much for some kids that age, but that’s the exception. This is the hip, fun and PG superhero that families have been waiting for since Marvel realized that The Fantastic Four wouldn’t fly.