MAINE, USA — [Editor's note: This article is a critical analysis of a film and does not represent the views of NEWS CENTER Maine, but that of the author.]
The famous webslinger is back in "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."
It's the follow-up to 2018's "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Story
It's been over a year since Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) became Spider-Man, teaming up with several other Spider-Men from across different worlds. And while he's learned a lot, Miles is still clearly a teen growing into a life of dual identities.
Growing up can be a challenge, but pile superhero work onto that, and life can feel impossible. Miles also misses the friends he teamed up with in the previous movie, "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," especially his crush, Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld).
While his parents try to get Miles ready for college, he's busy trying to stop a new villain named The Spot (Jason Schwartzman).
After a fight with his parents over the secrets Miles has been keeping (for good reason), Gwen mysteriously appears. While the reunion is all Miles has dreamt of for the past year, Gwen has been keeping secrets of her own, primarily that she's now part of a special team of Spider heroes that try to keep their multi-verse intact.
As The Spot grows stronger and threatens different realities, Miles follows Gwen and discovers the Spider-Verse, where hundreds of other Spider heroes—ranging from cowboys to dinosaurs—co-exist and work together to stop dimensional threats. They're led by a Spider-Man named Miguel O'Hara (Oscar Isaac).
But the more dark secrets Miles uncovers, the more danger it puts him in, and eventually, every Spider-Man in the multi-verse is after the webslinger.
Analysis
The previous entry in this franchise was a beautiful work of art, and "Across the Spider-Verse" only expands on the foundation it established. If the core of "Into the Spider-Verse" was a single question, it'd be: What does it mean to be Spider-Man?
And if this sequel was boiled down to a single question, it'd be: What does it cost to be Spider-Man?
The movie is full of people who keep trying to tell Miles what his story as Spider-Man is supposed to be like. But he's a hero who has always overturned the conventional approach to being a webslinger. Miles is defiant and stronger than anyone gives him credit for, and "Across the Spider-Verse" is full of moments that define his path, even when no one else wants him to walk it.
Miles has heartfelt talks with his mom about what it means to grow up, and he embarks on these mind-bending universal chases that really get the adrenaline pumping.
Sony Pictures Animation took the artistry that worked in their first movie and dialed it up even more in this sequel. Every frame pops with vivid colors and spectacular line-work. It's unique in its identity and will move its audience in ways few other animated films can.
The story reaches deep into Spider-Man's history across different comics to include trivia even the most dedicated fans might be clueless about.
And it's all insulated by a powerful score from Daniel Pemberton. The music, the animation, the characters, and the story all come together to create the greatest Spider-Man movie. Peter Parker is the hero everybody knows, but Miles Morales has the best movies, and "Across the Spider-Verse" is at the very center of that web.
Also playing this weekend
Fans of Stephen King will be excited to know a new movie based on one of his short stories is playing in theaters this weekend. It's called "The Boogeyman." Here's the synopsis:
"High school student Sadie Harper and her little sister Sawyer are still reeling from the recent death of their mother. Devastated by his own pain, their father Will, a therapist by profession, gives them neither the support nor the affection that they try to claim from him. When a desperate patient shows up unexpectedly at their house asking for help, they bring in a terrifying entity that preys on the family and feeds on their greatest suffering."
To see which movies are playing at a theater near you, click here.
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