Easily one of the most eagerly-awaited movies since 2018, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse finally burst onto the big screen last month and currently sits on a cool $663 million in terms of its worldwide box office return. That alone is probably a sign that post-COVID cinema is alive and well. And guess what? It’s a solid sequel that doesn’t disappoint… mostly.
We re-join our hero Miles Morales shortly after the events of Into the Spider-Verse, where he’s missing his other-universe-dwelling spider friends. When Gwen Stacy swings back into his life and takes him on a journey across the multiverse, he discovers that there’s a secret ‘Spider Society’; a bunch of spider-people who are tasked with protecting the multiverse’s very existence. Although he attempts to join their fight, he ends up pitting himself against them, and embarks on a complicated mission to save his – and his loved ones’ – life.
I don’t wanna be a bummer because this movie is still brilliant… but I prefer the first one. I can’t be the only one?! Technically, the sequel is more highly rated on Letterboxd (by a mere 0.1 rating point but still), but the first film is perfect in my eyes, so this sequel had a lot much to live up to.
Maybe my expectations were too high. I mean, this was my most anticipated of the year for sure. It’s still getting 4 Qs from me, so let’s just get the less great things out of the way, shall we? Basically, this sequel is too long. It’s messy – although, guaranteed, it’s supposed to be – and it is SO MUCH ALL AT ONCE, making it mildly difficult to follow at times. There, I said it. Someone needed to.
Okay, onto the good stuff. As everyone knew it would be, the animation is by far and away the most creative, solidly crafted animation to come out of a studio in a long time. Spider-Man’s comic book roots are still at the forefront, albeit the transitions this time (there are less classic comic book-style panels, most obviously) aren’t quite so on the nose, and the artwork speaks for itself. Visually, Across the Spider-Verse is phenomenal.
As for the plot, there’s so much going on that if you’re ever bored, you’re probably not paying attention. Do I think every single sequence was necessary? No. But there is so much to love within this that you’ll find yourself remembering those parts more than the superfluous ones. Is it super annoying that it ends on a cliffhanger? Absolutely, but the knowledge that there’s more to come helps with that at the very least.
Anyway, I stand by my conviction that Into the Spider-Verse is superior. Maybe I need to see this one again to fully appreciate it. Either way, I’m still absolutely buzzing for the final part of this trilogy.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is currently screening in many cinemas across the UK.
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