Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was the long-awaited sequel to its counterpart Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which was released in 2018. At the time, many critics claimed the latter was undoubtedly the animated movie of the decade, and one to remember forever. As such, expectations were high for Across the Spider-Verse, and now that it has been released, the question remains: did it live up to the hype? In my opinion, 100% yes.
Multiple elements made Across the Spider-Verse what it is — the plot, the soundtrack, and the animation — so let’s break it down. First, the plot. The sequel continues from the previous film, where Miles Morales fully embraces his Spider-Man role. However, this time, he starts traveling through various dimensions, encountering different versions of well-known characters, like Gwen Stacy and Peter B. Parker. On top of that, we’re introduced to a new villain Miles accidentally created in the last movie. We’re shown what happens when the villain Miles underestimates ends up being the most powerful one of them all, with the potential to disrupt reality itself. The story is expertly crafted, effortlessly mixing action, comedy, and emotional scenes. The only thing I didn’t enjoy about the plot was that it ended on a cliffhanger — but I recognize that greatness takes time to create.
Speaking of greatness, the animation cannot be considered anything less than perfect. The movie utilizes a style of animation that is a blend between computer and traditional animation. Animators used a new rendering style with bold colors that copied comic-book techniques and included various hand-drawn elements. It’s impressive to think about how much time went into creating a movie with such a distinctive animation style. The comic-book style in the movie immerses viewers in Miles’ world, especially with the little speech bubbles popping up every so often. The dynamics and fluidity in the fight sequences are mesmerizing to watch and are very fitting to Miles’ role as Spider-Man. Every scene between universes is woven together seamlessly in a way that makes the story breathtaking.
After “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee went viral alongside the first movie, the producers realized they needed something even better. Enter Metro-Boomin, a record producer known for his role in hip-hop/trap music and dark production style. He was tasked with creating the soundtrack for this already perfect movie, and he certainly delivered. With features like Swae Lee, Don Toliver, A$AP Rocky, Coi Leray, and James Blake, this album has a song for every mood in the movie: the love between Miles and Gwen, the futuristic feel of dimension-hopping, and the epic fight scenes between Miles and Miguel O’Hara. It’s a chill album, with a Miles Morales touch to it, and definitely one worth listening to outside of the movie as well.
If you couldn’t already tell, I absolutely loved this movie and have nothing but high praise for it. One fan online states “Across the Spider-Verse isn’t just a superhero movie — it’s a visual spectacle and emotional rollercoaster,” and I believe that sums it up. 12/10.
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