INSTEAD of using its position as a sequel to rehash the first film from 2018, or to mimic the template followed by most superhero films, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse bucks the trend.
It starts unlike any other superhero film, where instead of reintroducing the lead character, the film instead opens with a backstory of what Gwen Stacy a.k.a. Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld) has been up to after the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Forced back into her own universe, away from Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Gwen struggles with the death of someone close to her, and how her father – a police officer – is hunting down her alter ego, mirroring the events of the live-action The Amazing Spider-Man films that starred Andrew Garfield.
The film then moves on to Miles in the present, while also introducing The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) – the villain of Across and the sequel next year – who is able to open “portals”.
Eventually, Miles and Gwen reunite, before Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac) – a.k.a. Spider-Man 2099 – and the Spider-Society, an elite group of Spider-People from different alternate universes tasked with protecting the Multiverse make their big entrance.
Across then ends in a way unlike any other superhero film, forgoing the spectacle of explosions and aerial battles for something a little more intimate, and depressing.
Not run of the mill
Usually, for these types of cape and spandex films, it’s expected to hear “anyone that has seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse knows how this film will be”, but in this instance, it’s a little further from the truth.
Across features returning and new characters, yes, along with an eclectic soundtrack and visuals that pop just like the first film. But at the same time, Across is much more elevated that its predecessor.
The voice acting, particularly with Moore’s portrayal of an older Miles, is noteworthy due to how subtle the improvements are, but also the sheer variance of voices and how each stand apart from the rest, especially with Isaac’s menacing O’Hara.
Across’ animation is also a marked, visible improvement, with each world/universe feeling distinct and unique.
For example, Gwen’s universe is animated and designed as though it was a painting. Colours trickle down faces and objects, melding into other colours, and forming new ones as though the animated art on screen is on a living, breathing canvas.
The thought and care that goes into every subsequent universe introduced in Across extends beyond just Gwen’s world.
Spider-Punk (voiced by Daniel Kaluuya) and his animation (and music) that evokes punk art is another testament to this, with co-director Thompson claiming that it took three years to animate him.
Not part of the flock
Though The Spot is set up as a villain, the primary conflict in Across actually stems from Miles eventually clashing with O’Hara (and by extension, the rest of the Spider-Man variants) over their clashing ideas on duty and responsibility.
O’Hara believes if there is a choice to save either one person or an entire world, he – and the Spider-Society subservient to him – will choose the latter, as their collective trauma have led them to believe that being Spider-Man involves sacrifice as part of a “multiversal destiny”.
On the other hand, Miles believes he can save everyone, or at least try to.
When presented with a personal crisis that has yet to happen to him, but has already happened to O’Hara and the others, Miles chooses not to let the crisis occur according to “destiny”.
His choice to fight causes O’Hara and the entire Spider-Society to try and stop him by force, as they believe his actions will cause untold destruction.
Evidently, O’Hara and the rest of the Spider-Society have lost the plot. Their losses have changed them, whereas Miles, who hasn’t lost nearly as much, is not as jaded.
It’s absurd to imagine a Spider-Man that thinks the way O’Hara does, and in a circular way, it ties into a completely unrelated Marvel film.
During Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America says “We don’t trade lives” when presented with a choice between who to save, cementing that a real superhero does not pick one over the other; they understand that their social responsibility is to save everyone, despite the risks.
In that sense, among all the Spider-People, Miles is the real superhero, and Across is about Miles’ acceptance of where he will stand in a multiverse filled with people similar to him.
If the overall quality of Across is anything to go by, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse that will release next year is in good hands.
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