Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse

While viewing Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, audiences will laugh, cry, grit their teeth in suspense and practically jump out of their seats from fear. The new addition to the iconic Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the best yet, with its stellar animation, roller coaster of emotions and fast-paced plot.

The movie follows Miles Morales, a teenager from Brooklyn who is bitten by a radioactive spider. After watching Peter Parker’s alter-ego – and New York City’s most adored hero – die, Morales begins to become a Spider-Man himself, and realises that he must use his newfound, somewhat uncontrollable powers to help save the city he loves. The boy then meets five other Spider-Men from alternate dimensions. These superheroes range from an anime-style girl who controls a Spider-robot to a grubby, depressed Spider-Man with a bulging belly and damaged ego. Of course, Morales must face both tangible enemies and demons of his own along the journey while he attempts to stop Kingpin – a businessman somehow more frightening than the immensely powerful villains he enlists – from opening alternate universes that may destroy humanity.

Morales grapples with themes familiar to adolescents and adults alike. Perhaps the most daunting challenge ahead of him is growing up. In tear-jerking scenes that will resonate with families, he ruptures his relationship with his parents as he hides his true Spider-Man identity. Although the young protagonist must save humankind, he also endures hardships that all audiences will relate to.

Directors Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman and Robert Persichetti, Jr build a captivating, perfectly paced story. With a healthy dose of bathos to break the tension of the more intense action scenes, in conjunction with heart-wrenching suspense and the especially poignant Stan Lee cameo, there is never a dull moment. The half-cartoon, half-comic book animation breathes new life into the seemingly never-ending series of live-action Marvel superhero movies. The film’s soundtrack is incredibly topical, featuring suave, catchy songs by contemporary hip-hop artists like Swae Lee and Post Malone.

All in all, Spider-Verse is more than just a superhero saga: it’s a deeply moving, beautifully edited, creative cinematic masterpiece that manages to escape the typical superhero movie mold. This unforgettable feature is one of the best of the year.

Laura Boyle

Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse is released nationwide on 12^th December 2018.

Watch the trailer for Spider-man: Into the Spider-verse here: