‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ movie review: stellar animation meets emotional poignancy

“This movie is about everybody in this room,” says Shameik Moore ahead of the screening of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the sequel to 2018’s Into the Spider-Verse, “anyone can wear the mask.” There’s genuine anticipation in the air for the film to begin, as there quite likely is for many Marvel-based features, but it hangs especially thick for the undoubted greatest superhero of them all.

And Moore is correct in his assertion; the new film has a web-slinging hero for just about all walks of life; there’s a punk Spidey and an Indian Spidey too. Whatever creed, culture, or political belief one ascribes to, they too can be the hero of their own being. Across the Spider-Verse – the feature-length directorial debut of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson – sees Miles Morales once again peer into the multiverse in which a different hero resides in each dimension.

However, rather than follow the well-worn path of usual Spidey films where he must save the world at large, Across the Spider-verse is rather a quest to save what one holds dearest, namely, their own self-worth and those who affect it the most. A year and a half after Into the Spider-Verse, Miles is taking good care of his universe, taking on an amusing villain known reluctantly as Spot at the film’s opening.

Spot is more than Miles bargained for, though, and is actually a by-product of the Alchemax explosion finale of the previous film; a scientist dragged into proceedings now wanting to take revenge on Miles. The Spider-Verse opens once again, but there appears to be more order to proceedings this time. Gwen, aka Spider-Woman, is invited to join the Spider Society, gaining access to the universes of countless Spider-People, each more brilliant than the last, with no end of ingenuity.

At the threat of ruining the narrative, we shan’t take it any further, but Miles’ mission becomes one of self-belief, rather than him becoming an external saviour as we are by no accustomed. His status as Spider-Man is thrown into question by the head of the Spider Society, Spider-Man 2099 and, as before, he must once again face up to the task of appeasing his family. There’s a real heart to the Spider-Man films, and Across the Spider-Verse makes the sacrifice that every Spider-Person must make the absolute imperative. 

That sacrifice, that loss – say Peter Parker losing Uncle Ben or Miles his Uncle Aaron – is what links each Spider-Person and maintains the Spider-Verse. Should that sacrifice be made redundant, then the entire reason for Spider-Man will disintegrate as though holding a lighter to a web. Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and David Callaham’s script beautifully elevates this.

Narrative aside, the undoubted shining light of Across the Spider-Verse is the animation itself. There’s painstaking care taken to carefully intertwine the unique animation style of each universe together, and when the film climaxes in moments of chaotic action, it excels to the point of amazement. There are moments when proceedings can drag and lean a little too heavily into emotion, but thankfully it’s not long before things swing back into gear once more.

A scene at the Spider-Verse HQ will long live in the memory, dripping in tasteful fan service, at once hilarious, poignant and captivating. As Moore attests, there is indeed a Spider-Man for everyone, but this is certainly a Spider-Man for the modern age. There is a certain nod to the chill-vibes-only motive of Gen Z, with the glorious New York City skyline seeming to reference the ultra-cool backgrounds of the study-conducive lo-fi hip-hop playlists of YouTube.

If there were any doubt that Spider-Man is the greatest superhero of all time, then Across the Spider-Verse and its predecessor ought to serve as a big dent in the arguments of other claimants. There’s an emotive poignancy as always, and it’s an undoubted homage to the entire history of your favourite neighbourhood hero. Beyond the Spider-Verse can’t come quickly enough.