REVIEW #289 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

After reuniting with Gwen Stacy, Miles is catapulted into the multiverse where he encounters an army of Spider-Men charged with protecting its very existence.

Across the Spider-Verse is the single biggest and best form of advertisement for animation as a medium. The artistic prowess on display here is nothing short of spectacular. The multiverse is a more prominent theme of the movie and that meant different styles could be incorporated into each frame, each world having a unique design that can impress the audience. The storyline itself encapsulates what it means to be Spider-Man; sacrifice, hardship and of course, a good underdog story! But of the 100’s of iterations we see on screen, no one embodies the values of Spider-Man more than Miles and that’s what puts him at odds with Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099). It’s for this reason that I believe, like many others, that over the course of the next 10-20 years, if Sony continue with this level of quality for the character and his development, it’s more than possible for Miles to be the more commonly known Spider-Man! 

It was great to see so many Spider-Man cameos, I’d have to say my personal favourite was Spider-Punk who was voiced brilliantly by Daniel Kaaluya! They were threaded into the central plot really nicely and without making the movie feel too overcrowded. The focus was very much still on Miles, although Gwen did get some of the limelight too, which is okay considering they’re building a really strong romance story with the two of them. Talking of which, that ‘will they, won’t they’ sub plot provided a lot of subtle humour that landed every time, whilst also creating those heartfelt moments that gave the movie meaning and heart. 

So I haven’t given the perfect score here, which could change on a rewatch but my only nitpick criticism is the soundtrack. The first instalment had an iconic soundtrack that elevated every aspect of the movie and it’s not that it was bad in the sequel, it just wasn’t at the high standard I expected it to be. I wanted that one amazing tune that was symbolic of the movie, like Sunflower was for the original. I know they have a pretty impressive lineup of musicians for this soundtrack but if I’m honest I can’t remember one song. However, despite that tiny criticism, everything else in the movie was elevated, the animation was better and more ambitious, the story cements Miles as a true hero whilst also leaving us on a nail biting cliff hanger, making us desperate for the next instalment as soon as possible! This is made for the big screen, so be sure to head out to the cinemas for this one.

Overall (9.8/10)

Thanks for reading.

Callan