A scene from ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ | Photo credit: Sony Pictures Animation
Time really is relative – there are movies and shows that go on forever, and others that go by in a flash. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse falls under the latter category as the running time of 140 minutes is completed in a matter of minutes.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (English)
director: Joaquim dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. thompson
mold: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya, Oscar Isaac
Order: 140 minutes
Story: Spider-Society, a crack team of different versions of Spider-Man, try to tear through time and space in the multi-verse, continuing the adventures of Miles Morales
The multi-hued world inhabited by the various versions of Spider-Man is a real treat for the eyes as is the background score (Daniel Pemberton). There are so many great things happening on screen, it’s hard to focus on one aspect. Should one watch the stunning animation (a fun mash of 2D, 3D, and comic book styles), tap feet to the infectious rhythms, or laugh at the throwback lines – how much I laughed at Dark Garfield!
is a year after the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) is Spider-Woman in his universe and a drummer in a rock band. Her father, George (Shea Whigham), is a police captain hunting Spider-Woman, unaware that she is his daughter. When the Vulture of the Renaissance (Jorma Taccone) attacks the Guggenheim (what a stunning sequence that was!), Gwen learns that the supervillain has come from a different universe thanks to a tear in the fabric of space-time. Thank you
A scene from ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ | Photo credit: Sony Pictures Animation
She joins the Spider-Society, a team of Spider-People who maintain the sanctity of the Multi-verse by getting rid of the Wrinkles and anomalies. The Spider-People are led by Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), the only Spider-Man without a sense of humor, and his alter ego Miguel O’Hara, a ninja vampire. The society also features Jessica (Issa Rae), a heavily pregnant Spider-Woman who rides a mean motorcycle.
While all of this is happening in Gwen’s universe, there is The Spot (Jason Schwartzman), a former scientist whose skin after an accident has dots that are gateways into other universes. Unable to find a proper job, The Spot turns to a life of crime, only he’s not very good at it – look at his attempt to rob an ATM.
And, what about our hero, Miles Morales (Shameik Moore)? He’s running late as usual to meet his guidance counselor with his parents and then he has to bring a cake to his father Jefferson’s (Brian Tyree Henry) big party for his promotion. His mother, Rio (Luna Lauren Velez), like his father, tries to understand what is happening to Miles, but she is reaching the end of her bond. Gwen enters this vortex and when Miles hears about the Spider-Society, he wants to help. The question is, will he hinder or help in the larger scheme of things? Will saving one life irreversibly alter the fabric of space-time resulting in the destruction of millions?
As the action jumps from universe to universe, different animation styles characterize each one – from impressionist palettes to vivid colors for Gwen’s universe Pavitra Prabhakar’s (Karan Soni) Mumbatan. Incidentally, what was that restaurant aggregator and food delivery company (which rhymes with tomato) doing in Mumbatan? Sets sacred records in all web-slinging and building-swinging Tea tea and Naan Bread. Yes.
A scene from ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’ | Photo credit: Sony Pictures Animation
Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) now has an adorable little girl named Mayday, and Hobie (Daniel Kaluuya) is the coolest British punk rocker Spider-Man. ending in a cliffhanger, we’ll have to wait for March 29, 2024, and Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse for resolution. Until then, we can drift across space and time in this technicolor raincoat.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is currently in theaters