With Great Power Comes a Great Film

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a fully packed piece of art on the big screen

Ella Berrend, Head Editor

Spider-Man has been one of the most well-loved superheroes of all time but with a creative spin of backstory and plot from Sony Animation, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse depicts an entirely new way of seeing Spider-Man and his alternate personas. While this movie seemed to be a box-office flop; the film has incredible animation, soundtrack, and plotline. 

The film focuses on Miles Morales, a teenager from Brooklyn, whose life is in the midst of change while transferring to a prestigious academy.  He chooses to escape his reality by ‘tagging’ his art wherever he can, enlisting the help of his uncle, Aron. The bad blood between his uncle and his father is prevalent in the story, as Miles’ father, a Brooklyn cop, pushes his focus towards school and his future. When creating a mural in the depths of the subways, Miles gets bit by a radioactive spider and without noticing, continues his hectic lifestyle. This specific scene shows the audience its’ creative ‘comic book’ style animation, along with the strong elements of color and the mix of multi-dimensional art. 

Life in the city seemed to be normal despite the often ‘earthquakes’, which interfere with Miles’ life when he’s caught down in the subway; stumbling upon a battle between Spider-Man and Kingpin, our big-boned villain. Through several different turns in the plot, Miles comes to realize that the spider bite was more than a coincidence. His newly acquired spider senses push him towards alternate spider characters, like Peter B. Parker, Spider-Woman and even a Spider-Ham, based of a Looney Toons character and voiced by comedian, John Mulaney. Within the hilarious dialogue and eye-catching scenes, this story is one for all demographics with a constant reminder that “Anyone can wear the mask. You could wear the mask.” 

While the film may have some cheesy and predictable moments, Sony Pictures outdid themselves with this animation that depicts strong teamwork and unique storytelling elements. Without spoiling much further, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse is a film I would recommend to anyone looking for a new and fresh take on the average superhero flick.