Miles Morales and his band of animated friends are here to save not only the day but also the multiverse and possibly even the future of film. Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse has swung into the scene to remind us of the wonders animation can bring — even to the overexposed superhero genre. This year has menacingly bombarded audiences with computer graphic heavy but imaginatively dead action films and lifeless ‘live-action’ remakes of animated classics.
Movie Details:
Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni and more
Writers: Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callaham
Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Budget: $100 million
Distributed by: Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group, Sony Pictures Releasing
Release date: 1 June 2023 (India)
Sequel: Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse
Run Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Based on: Marvel Comics
Where to Watch? At the theatres!
Rating: 5 / 5 stars
Story:
After reconnecting with Gwen Stacy, Brooklyn’s resident Spider-Man is launched across the Multiverse, where he comes upon a group of Spider-People tasked with safeguarding the Multiverse’s very existence. However, Miles finds himself pitted against the other Spiders as the heroes disagree on how to face a new threat. In order to save the ones he loves most, he will soon need to redefine what it means to be a hero.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review:
This time, we start with Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), who serves as the neighbourhood Spider-Man in her universe while dodging the suspicions of her police father (Shea Whigham). But when an anomaly appears in her city as a result of the search aftermath from her cross-multiverse adventure with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), she teams up with a super-army of Spider-Mans to put things right (and in the right dimensions). She is able to reappear on Miles thanks to a unique portal device from this organisation.
Miles is attempting to strike a balance between living up to his parent’s expectations and taking on villains in the role of his heroic alter ego. He and Gwen eventually find themselves at a headquarters full of Spider-Mans while chasing down one amusing “villain of the week” (Jason Schwartzman). (Think of Rick and Morty’s Citadel of Ricks.) The angsty Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), who was first introduced in the post-credits scene and is now a bleak extreme of what Spider-Man can be, and Miles clash there over ideas. Therefore, even if doing so forces the Spider-Verse against him, Miles must battle for the future he wants to see.
Characters:
Bisexual lighting, a vibrant colour scheme of blues, purples, and reds, and an impressionistic design resembling watercolours are all features of Gwen’s universe. Abstract backgrounds with an occasional splotch of paint and basic shapes are used. Additionally, the colours alter in accordance with the scene’s mood: a sombre scene in blue will radiantly flush into pink over an emotional hug. The universes of other characters have sharper edges, which is indicative of sharper attitudes towards duty and fate.
The universe of India’s Spider-Man Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni) is alive with vivid, warm colours that reflect his vivacity and playfulness. The universe of Spider-Punk, which is London but specifically a London composed of paper collages, is another noteworthy feature. Daniel Kaluuya’s portrayal of Spider-Punk has the gritty feel of a zine brought to life, with the jagged edges of shredded paper serving as his outline.
These collisions can produce a visual cacophony. But that is also deliberate; the ideological conflict between these heroes is reinforced by these styles and their collisions. Hundreds of Spider-People crash in the main scene of the movie in a variety of quips, slings, and stances. The outcome is, to put it mildly, overwhelming, but rather than being offensive (looking at you, Quantumania! ), it made me wish I could just watch the sequence repeatedly on a loop, taking in every element.
Direction:
The details are plentiful and meticulously packed in, whether they be cryptic allusions to long-forgotten Spider-Men, dialogue bubbles that reveal more about a character, or visual footnotes that appear to clarify some Spider-speak. These scenes are revelatory to watch. Disney-branded goods have taken over movie theatres and started passing itself off as a film. While fairytales are “realistically” remade, becoming less fanciful and more grounded in reality, superhero films urgently seek the lavish spectacle with no apparent regard for beauty or emotion. Spider-Verse serves as a timely reminder of the power of animation and how, if you have the imagination, the sky really is the limit.
Spider-Verse develops into something better, more fascinating, and more deadly than the creatively bankrupt dreck that has been passing for blockbuster entertainment without those restrictions made of flesh and terrifying realism. Every splash of colour conveys meaning and emotion, and each computer-animated gesture adds personality rather than pursuing the futile goal of creating a manufactured reality. It’s a dazzling explosion of art that is occasionally silly and occasionally beautiful.
Screenplay:
Instead of being monotonous, it gives Miles the impression that a web of fate is encircling him and forcing him into a future he despises. And viewers may be surprised by how this film decides to leave us entangled in this web. It’s a risky choice that makes Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse one of the summer’s most exciting films, as well as one of the most stressful. We should pause to recognise the amazing nature of this accomplishment.
An almost unanimously acclaimed movie, Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse received high marks from both critics and viewers. The expectation for its follow-up was sky-high, particularly after its release date was moved from 2022 to 2023. The fandom has become incredibly ecstatic as intriguing casting announcements, enticing teasers, and promising marketing have been released. But with the bar — and our ambitions — so high, how could Spider-Man Across The Spider-Verse surpass its predecessor?
All in all, this results in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is not only very enjoyable but also the kind of film that begs to be thought about, debated, and seen repeatedly. It’s a beauty, ideal for summertime enjoyment and reflection afterwards.
So, this was all about the new Spider-Man film review. Bollywood Hush rates the film 5 stars out of 5 stars. Click here to read the latest The Little Mermaid review.
