A multi-entertaining entrance into the multi-verse
I’m going to be completely honest with you and tell you that when I first heard there’s going to be yet another Spider Man film, I didn’t pay attention to it nor have any interest in watching it. Around the time of its release, I began to notice praise for Spider Verse from basically everybody on my twitter feed. My curiosity piqued when it won the Golden Globe award for best animated film. I caved and went to watch the film, without even watching the trailer. I expected another iteration of the same tragic origin story with a dose of classic witty humour from our friendly neighbourhood hero. I never expected to be laughing throughout the movie, enjoying every aspect of it and walking out in awe of the creative visuals.
What we see unfold in this movie, is the origin story of the Miles Morales iteration of Spider-Man. When Wilson Fisk/Kingpin and his sinister lead scientist, Olivia Octavius, start to play with volatile technology, it creates a rift in the multi-verse and the timelines and dimensions start to intermingle, throwing in different versions of Spider-Man into Miles’ universe. We have Peter B Parker, an older, depressed and jaded Spider-Man; Gwen Stacy as Spider-Woman (which was so awesome to see onscreen); Spider-Man Noir, a black and white Nicolas Cage fighting nazis; Peter Porker, a looney toons spin-off Spider-pig voiced aptly by John Mulaney and Peni Parker, a Japanese anime-style Spider-Girl accompanied by her arachno-droid. Luckily for Into the Spider Verse, too many cooks do not spoil the broth here. In fact, even the whole aspect of a multiverse could have easily been very complicated but the movie never makes it feel so. The basic objective is simple: each Spider-person wants to get back home and take down Kingpin and Octavius in the process.
In that respect, the plot is very formulaic. We know the drill and so does the movie: teenager gets bit by a radioactive spider, gains superpowers, loses someone important to them and becomes a hero(ine). The movie even pokes fun at itself and shows us a quick montage of each Spider-person’s origin story in a humorous and urgent way — as if to do away with formalities and get to the real point quickly. Audiences and fans tend to fall in love with the idiosyncratic characters the most and this movie is full of them. Aunt May is not just sidelined as a frail grieving lady but actually is a kick-ass mentor and inventor. Miles and Peter are actually flawed losers — but lovable because they know it too. There is an entire montage dedicated to them trying to escape the baddies while hilariously getting hurt and failing at the whole web-slinging concept. We love the characters because they want to take down Fisk even if they may not be unbeatable. It’s the earnest do it or die trying attitude that really shines in the second half of the movie.
What made this movie so spectacular for me, was how self-aware it is. Without explicitly breaking the fourth wall, there are so many witty lines that made me burst in glee. Not to give away any spoilers, but there’s a moment in the film when Peter Porker says “that’s all folks” (an ode to Looney Toons) and Peter B Parker questions quite savagely “Is he allowed to say that? You know, legally?” Another looking directly-at-the-camera moment came in the first-half when Peter B Parker (I am convinced he has the best lines in the movie) is laying out his plan to infiltrate Octavius’ lab. Upon assuming that the scientist in question is male, he reminds himself to check his biases when Miles tell him Olivia is the leader. An acknowledgement so subtle yet so meaningful, Parker’s realisation and promise to unlearn his prejudices made me so happy.
Without doubt, the animation and cinematography in this movie are beyond scintillating. The movie feels like a comic book has come to life, replete with onomatopoeia, snippets from pages in a comic book and a dazzling display of color and vibrancy. Into the Spider Verse pays homage to this style — training our eyes to move around the entirety of the screen and drink in its vivacity. The concluding fight is an explosion in pattern and colour — the screen often looked like a lava lamp threw up on the canvas, but in a magnificent and flattering way. According to Wikipedia, it took a year for two animators to create just 10 seconds of footage they were happy with. And by August 2018, a whopping 142 animators were roped into work on the crew. Kudos to Dean Gordon, Patrick O’Keefe and their massive art direction team!
The setting of this visual treat is quintessential New York — diverse, vivid and so alive. Not only is the main cast diverse but so is the background. Spider Verse shows so many different kind of people from all walks of life and I can only imagine how satisfying and heartwarming it was to see a young biracial (Puerto-Rican/black) Spider-Man on screen. I can also imagine how happy a young Japanese girl would feel, seeing a superheroine who looks like her, in mainstream Hollywood cinema. I know I felt empowered when I saw Gwen Stacy take down villains and fight like a boss. Although Peter B Parker looks like a typical white superhero, the writers evaded typecasting him into the invincible hero trope — he is out of shape, wears sweatpants at one point and even stuffs his face with hamburgers. It seems so out of character yet so relatable, not to mention refreshing to see a white man vulnerable and imperfect. Shout out also to all the pigs who must be feeling so gratified after seeing Peter Porker!
This emotional coming-of-age story is relevant, inspiring yet unique because it chooses to acknowledge the numerous Spider-Man movies that have come before it. The emphasis on Miles’ story leans more towards his responsibility to embrace his power rather than whether or not he has the choice to wield it. He didn’t want to be Spider-Man but after realising that he needs to be a hero, Miles learns to overcome his insecurities and earn his greatness. In a world that often tells us that we’re not good enough, the movie leaves us with a poignant and beautiful message: “We all have powers of one kind or another. In our own way, we are all Spider-Man. And we’re all counting on you.”
With Black Panther being the first superhero nominated for Best Picture (among others) at the Academy awards, the last year feels like the ushering in of a new era of superhero films. Being a huge fan of the superhero genre, I’m really excited to see how it’s going to keep up with the times yet remain innovative. Into the Spider Verse is definitely another step in the right direction. Now who is ready for a Kamala Khan movie?
