Movie Review: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is beyond 2018’s best animated film

Movie Review: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (PG)

Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2” is not only the best “Spider-Man” movie ever produced but it’s also the third best superhero movie ever made (behind Richard Donner’s “Superman” and Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” respectively). So it’s actually saying a lot that the creative, exhilarating, high-energy effort that is “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” stands as the second-best big-screen “Spider-Man” effort to date. Where this vibrant film fits on the list of all-time great superhero movies has yet to be decided — it’s too early to place it. But I’ll say this: For my money, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is the strongest animated feature of 2018.

This appropriately zany but breathtaking homage to nearly every incarnation of Spider-Man you’ve ever heard of follows teenager Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), a typically awkward teen who finds his body changing after being bitten by a radioactive spider. You’re probably thinking to yourself that you’ve heard this story before, but trust me when I tell you that you’d only be partially correct, for the city at the heart of the world that “Into the Spider-Verse” paints a portrait of is only one of many realities that each include their own unique versions of the famed webslinger.

When the villainous Wilson Fisk, aka Kingpin (voiced by Liev Schreiber), hatches a sinister plan that puts the entire city in danger, multiple Spidey-types ultimately find themselves transported to Morales’ reality, including a considerably older and not necessarily wiser Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson) who ultimately serves as a mentor to a teenager dealing with powers he doesn’t entirely understand. Eventually, Parker and Morales must join forces with their fellow webslingers in an effort to save the city and get back to their respective realities. And this synopsis barely scratches the surface, because there’s a hell of a lot going on in this wildly creative and appropriately meta Marvel movie.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” was shepherded by Chris Miller and Phil Lord, the dynamic duo behind the big-screen adaptation of “21 Jump Street” and “The Lego Movie,” and they bring the same sort of loose, high-energy sensibility that they bring to most of their projects.

The animation in this picture is breathtaking. But more importantly, it’s fresh and unique. While I greatly enjoyed “The Incredibles 2,” “Ralph Breaks the Internet,” and “The Grinch,” among others, the style here offers something completely different, comparatively speaking. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” pops, even if you choose to see it in 2D. What’s more, this film occasionally takes on the individual styles of its various central webslinging characters, making “Into the Spider-Verse” even more ambitious.

Beyond that, the cast is terrific. Moore is super appealing as a teen making that transition to manhood while Johnson is both a smart-ass and vulnerable in equal measure as Morales’ reluctant teacher. And as expected, both characters learn a great deal from one another, making this zany journey even more appealing.

The supporting cast includes the likes of Steinfeld, Schreiber, Lily Tomlin, Luna Lauren Velez, Zoe Kravitz, John Mulaney, Nicolas Cage, Chris Pine, Kimiko Glenn, Kathryn Hahn, and Lake Bell. Each player brings something wonderful to the table, most notably Brian Tyree Henry as Morales’ loving and hardworking father and Mahershala Ali as Morales’ sensitive but underachieving uncle.

Plenty of trope subversion goes along with big-time surprises, winks, and a gloriously meta vibe that’s as clever as it is smile inducing — watch for a wonderful cameo by the late Stan Lee and an outstanding post-credits stinger that serves as pitch-perfect throwback to Spider-Man of old. Thing is, there’s plenty of heart to go along with all the cheeky stuff, and further still, the noble message that we all have the potential to be heroes with or without masks is an inspirational one indeed.

Last year, “The Lego Batman Movie” emerged as both my favorite animated feature and my favorite superhero film of the year. So it’s pretty amazing that I could say the same about “Into the Spider-Verse” this year. Yes, it’s chaotic and moves from one moment to the next seldom giving viewers a chance to breathe. But rest assured that there is a method to the madness. Furthermore, it isn’t afraid to simply be a cartoon. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is a joyful bundle of energy and sits alongside 2018’s best films.

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