Spider-man Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Some people talk about "super-hero movie fatigue" but the point they are missing is that when a genre becomes more common and mainstream this allows much more innovation within that genre, more exploration, and in fact what happens is the opposite of fatigue, but reinvigorating the genre. We're seen a number of examples of this, some more well received than others, but one such innovation is Spider-man Into the Spider-Verse. Unlike previous animated adaptations of the webslinger, and unlike the live action takes we've seen, this film literally breaks down walls and allows a story to be told that is truely refreshing.

The story of Miles Morales is one that comes out of a movement in comics to retell familiar stories in a way that is not only more inclusive of the whole comic reading audience but in a way that perhaps opens new doors to story telling. Therefore it is fitting that his film debut is one which also finds new ways to tell stories. Using the "multiverse" concept which is very familiar to comic readers and becoming more familiar with mainstream audiences, Into the Spider-Verse opens a lot of great doors to new opportunities for story telling.

Spider-man may have one of the most often retold story in the superhero world so a big part of what is refreshing is the way this film embraces that and breaks it wide open. Also telling this story through very innovating and beautiful animation gives it another unique identity to separate it from all the other superhero movies out there.

But the thing that truly makes Into the Spider-Verse work as well as it does is the good old fashion, tried and true technique of how well it tells its story. The characterization is remarkable, the story itself is gripping, and it's centred around a wonderful leading man.

I definitely want more trips to this universe.

Spider-man Into the Spider-Verse
Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Bryan Tyree Henry, Chris Pine, Lilly Tomlin, Kimiko Glenn, John Mulaney, Nicholas Cage, Liev Schreiber, Katheryn Hahn, Oscar Isaac
Directors: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman
Writers: Phil Lord, Rodney Rothman