Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rotham
Starring the voices of Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree Henry, John Mulaney, Nicholas Cage, Lily Tomlin, and Liev Schreiber
Backstory
I love Spider-Man! I love Spider-Man movies! I also love animated movies. And since I think that animation and superheroes are a medium and a genre made for each other, I was so there for a Spider-Man animated movie! Choosing to focus on an alternate universe Spider-Man like Miles Morales was definitely a way to go, so as not to distract from the growing Marvel Cinematic Universe. So how fares a Spidey in his latest big-screen outing?
Plot
Miles Morales is having trouble fitting in. He just won a scholarship to prestigious private school, and still hasn’t made many friends. He’s being driving away by his strict, police officer father, and finding a surrogate father in his Uncle Aaron. One day, while his uncle is letting him indulge in his art skills, young Miles is bitten by a radioactive spider, and begins developing powers. Trying to figure out what’s happening to him, Miles stumbles into the final battle between Kingpin and Spider-Man…and watches Spider-Man die. Promising Spider-Man to follow in his footsteps, Miles sets out to stop Kingpin. But, Miles has some help. Kingpin’s been dabbling in trans-dimensional technology, and brought some other Spider-People to this universe. Can Spider-Man, Spider-Gwen, and Spider-Ham all help Miles to carry the burdens that come with being Spider-Man?
What I Liked
Needless to say, seeing all the different Spider-People is a sheer delight. While John Mulaney is getting the laughs in the TV spots as Spider-Ham, Nicholas Cage as the grim and gritty Spider-Man Noir is far more entertaining. And, much like The Lego Batman Movie, this is the kind of film that you’re going to have to watch frame-by-frame to catch all the Easter eggs. That being said, this still is firmly rooted as Miles Morales’s story, as he’s thrust into a very extraordinary situation, and even he himself is wondering if he’s up to the task. It’s that hero’s journey at the core that makes the film worthwhile. Oh, and that art style. It’s amazing how this film really plays with style and isn’t afraid to get incredibly stylized when it needs to.
What I Didn’t Like
I’ve seen far too many animated films and superhero films now to know the formula, so I was able to see a lot of the big plot twists coming.
Final Verdict
Love this new spin on a Spider-Man film. I look forward to seeing the saga of Miles Morales continue in many films to come!