In a widespread and unforeseen appraisal, 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' seems to have conquered critics unanimously. This new installment in the arachnid superhero's franchise has come as a surprise to everyone, not only due to its innovative visual style, but also because it was actually pretty good. So much so that some people are already describing it as the best Spider-Man film to date (and we have had our fair share of those).
It is precisely this multifaceted portrayal of Spider-Man, alongside the original presentation of the story in animation form, as opposed to electing for live-action, which has won over the critics. "The freshest and most stimulating aspect of the film is the visual style, which unites the expected Marvel mix of "universes"[...] with animation that looks both computer-driven and hand-drawn, [and] boasts futuristic as well as funky urban elements," highlights Todd McCarthy in The Hollywood Reporter. Along the same lines, David Ehrlich, from IndieWire, added: "'Into the Spider-Verse' has been animated to resemble an unclassifiable cross between 'The Incredibles' and 'Waking Life', with some anime flourishes sprinkled on top for good measure. [...] But the film's wild and contradictory aesthetic [...] dazzlingly explodes the outmoded idea that superhero movies have to look a certain way".
The humorous tone and marked self-consciousness also has been praised by the rest of the critics. The comedy in the film comes largely from self-aware humour which serves to pay homage to the previous outlets in the Spider-Man franchise: "Each new Spider-Person is introduced with an amusing montage, offering a glimpse at the respective hero's origin story. A few of these scenes offer humorous callbacks to old Spider-Man cartoons, comic books, and even video games", states IGN.
However, it seems that not all critics were as enthusiastic about this animation. Variety, for example, adds a more negative tone, saying, "the script's postmodern sense of humour is so savvy about comic book formulas that one can't help feeling disappointed when the plot later resorts to the same clichés." Darren Frinch, from Entertainment Weekly, was even less positive, declaring that "for a film that invites so much self-aware chortling over franchise in-jokery, you feel 'Spider-Verse' has missed something essential from its own screen history".
The Best Spider-Man Film?
One question which has been circulating the minds of many people after the incredible reception: are we now faced with the best film in the superhero's (extensive) history? It seems difficult to come to a definitive verdict when taking into account the first films directed by Sam Raimi, but without a doubt it is clear that this film was an utter success. "It's incredibly thrilling to watch, impressively emotional throughout, and easily the best Spider-Man movie since 'Spider-Man 2'",, declares The Wrap without hesitation. While The Guardian describes it as "a thrilling, witty and surprisingly necessary chapter in the franchise". Even more blown away than that were The Weekend Warrior who outright declare it not only to be "the best Spider-Man movie to date, but it's also better than most of the Spider-Man comics".
'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' comes to cinemas on the 12th December in the UK, and we are counting down the days until we can enjoy the adventures of Miles Morales and the rest of the Spider-People.
