Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse | Reel World | timesnewspapers … – Webster-Kirkwood Times, Inc.

In theaters June 2

THE PLOT:

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) a.k.a. Spiderman, is now a household name in Brooklyn NY, saving citizens from those who wish to harm them. Yet, being a superhero is lonely as Miles longs to see Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) again Spiderwoman from an alternate universe.

As Miles struggles to break free from his parents image of him as a kid, he encounters The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) a local villain hell-bent on getting revenge on Miles for transforming him into what he has become.

With The Spot creating havoc, Gwen and other Spidermen and women from alternate universes work to stop him, but Miles discovers a truth from his allies that, for him, is just as sinister as any villainous plan and he plans to stop it.

KENTS TAKE:

Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse is the second chapter in the ongoing Sony animated Spiderman series and is the first half of a two-part story.

Miles is back and is still working through his feelings and situation. His uncle turned out to be The Prowler and is now dead. He learned that he is not the only Spiderman in the universe and has fallen for Gwen, a Spiderwoman in an alternate universe. Spiderman is also a local celebrity in Brooklyn, and this celebrity comes with pitfalls, such as the guest-hosting of Jeopardy, the failed baby powder endorsement, and his attempt to grow a moustache. Miles is a teenager through and through, pushing back at his parents who still see him as a kid while he fights to be heard and understood.

Directors Joaquin Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson bring us a vibrant, colorful, and wildly creative animated feature. Mixing and matching animation styles, this film will keep viewers attention throughout its 2 hours and 15-minute running time. Using interesting and unusual perspectives, we follow Miles and Gwen as they traverse Brooklyn and the multiverse following their spidey-senses to lead them to a truth that is very relevant to Miles.

Writers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Dave Callaham manage to pull off a rare occurrence creating a sequel to a successful film that is as good, if not better than the first film. This film is not political, it isnt preachy, and it certainly isnt your traditional superhero film what it is, is an action-packed coming-of-age story about a regular kid who is special and the struggles he endures as he transitions from childhood to adulthood. This heartfelt, emotional film isnt sappy, its real, real life, real feelings in an unreal setting. A setting with splashes of color, hidden places, dark shadows, freedom, beauty, and wonder. Miles likes Gwen and Gwen likes him back, but this isnt a sappy romance, its the awkward moments, the unspoken words and the silences that define their relationship.

The cast is excellent and adds depth to this feature, but the strength of performance by Shameik Moore as Miles elevates this film and creates an honesty that is vital to its success.

Another notable strength of this film is its soundtrack. From modern rap to classic R&B, this soundtrack covers a diverse musical palette and weaves perfectly into the story helping to define and create moods.

Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse is the first Summer Blockbuster to hit theaters and its recommend that this cool, action-packed, memorable story be seen on the big screen. This is one of those instances where getting caught in a spiders web will be a positive experience.

LYNNS TAKE:

Pop art, quantum physics and pathos collide in a grand superhero spectacle, resulting in this Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, sequel being a mind-blowing amalgamation of next-level animation like but surpassing the 2018 original.

However inventive and clever it is, though, about half of the storyline is incoherent and panders to fan service -- and the sensory-overload-on-steroids style is overwhelming and exhausting. Yet, were all locked in.

This 2 hour and 20- minute eye-popping extravaganza takes place across six dimensions, has 240 characters in it and had over 1,000 animators working on it the most ever.

The Spider-Man mythology, easily relatable for teens who understood creator Stan Lees metaphors for figuring out their place in the world, began as a socially inept high school student who was bitten by a radioactive spider, and thus developed superpowers. That was in 1962, and in fighting crime in his subsequent Marvel Comics issues, Peter Parker would eventually learn with great power comes great responsibility.

Since 2002, there have been eight live-action Spider-Man movies, plus his role in The Avengers franchise, not to mention a past TV series, Broadway musical, video games and books.

The three co-directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson mash parts of the old films with elements of the comic books. That comic imagery, added in with drawing and painting styles of the 20th and 21st centuries, results in a visually stunning work. Art historians will be in for a treat.

And comic book fans will be delirious about the Easter eggs no doubt courtesy of cheeky producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller who finally won an Oscar for directing the first movie (previously robbed for The Lego Movie) but only co-wrote this script with David Callaham, a veteran of the first and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

I understand their desire to throw in as many gags for the super-fans, but that darn muddled narrative lets the rest of us down. And their need to fiddle with the Spider-Man canon to keep it fresh and interesting. Sure, there are compelling human emotional touches (dead relatives, loved ones in peril), but the hyper-kinetic storytelling weakens the overall effect for those not in the zone.

Another sticking point is that the middle entry in this animated world ends with a cliffhanger, then states Miles will return in Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. It is set for a March 29, 2024, release -- frustrating to viewers who like things resolved before waiting for another one, because this one just ends without a resolution.

And if you did not see Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse released four and a half years ago, you will be lost here. As a quick recap, Miles Morales, a black Hispanic Brooklynite, was juggling his life between being in high school and a Spider-Man, but when Wilson Kingpin Fisk uses a super collider, he finds out that others from across the Spider-Verse have been transported to his dimension.

This time, 15-year-old Miles remains on Earth 42, but as he discovers more multi-verses, he meets dozens of other Spider-People. In this global take, we meet a Spider-Man India (Karan Soni), a cockney street punk Spidey named Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya), a snarling, hulking vampire Spidey Miguel OHara (Oscar Isaac), and a pregnant Spider-Woman, motorcycle mama Jessica Drew (Issa Rae). Saving the world is tough business, and there are existential crises happening.

Miles mentor, Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), is shown as a young father, married to MJ (Zoe Kravitz), who brings his baby along for the adventures. Sad girl Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is a combo grrrl rocker and a Spider-Girl whose anguished storyline is equal to Miles.

While one can applaud the energy and the dazzling visuals of non-stop action, characters are often frazzled, and the pace is so frenetic that you feel like you are trapped in this parallel universe too. Whos good, whos evil, and who may be both?

Shameik Moore has returned to voice Miles, and hes dandy as the angsty teen who is exasperating to his parents because of his time-management skills (they dont know hes keeping the bad guys in check, at least his neighborhood in Queens).

His parents are voiced by Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Loren Valdez, joining a slate of major talent whose vocal work is solid but does not immediately identify them. Yet, its easy to place J.K. Simmons as J. Jonah Jameson, SNLs Rachel Dratch as the principal, and Jason Schwartman as the revenge-seeking villain The Spot (a standout).

Hyper and hypnotic, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has pushed forward the genre and is a fun fan experience. The propulsive score by composer Daniel Pemberton is also a plus. I give the animation an A+ but the story a B-.

Its a lot to juggle sci-fi, action, adventure, family, comedy, drama, and fantasy in one animated feature, and this film does display heart, even if the movie cant stand on its own.

After two decades of superhero comics ruling the bombastic blockbuster box office, whats next? Has art opened another dimension? One of the Spider-Verses greatest strengths is that it still surprises, and these multiverses show no signs of maxing out.

One thing is for certain, the enthusiasm for this head-spinning series is not waning anytime soon (even with the grumbling about waiting for the next sequel). Its as if weve hopped on one of the wildest amusement parks rides ever, and we need to see where it leads.

Read more here:

Spiderman: Across the Spider-verse | Reel World | timesnewspapers ... - Webster-Kirkwood Times, Inc.