This animated adventure brings our hero into many different quests that thrust him face to face with alter identities that represent his secret personality. He sees realms that portray his friends, family, and heroes in a different light. Sometimes with a different race or sex, that makes you feel he has entered the bizarro domain.
In our last episode, Spiderman into the spider-verse (2018), we were introduced to MIles Morales, Gwen Stacey, and Peter B. Parker. This is where we begin to see the other dimensions that exist. Each alter-universe has some form of a Spiderman and some arch-nemesis of our hero. In Miles’ world he was not originally meant to be Spiderman, as we saw in the first installment Peter Parker (Chris Pine – Voice) is killed by the Prowler. This is where we learn that Miles’s uncle Aaron Davis (Mahershala Ali) is moonlighting as the masked enforcer known as the Prowler.
Now in this new installment, we begin to learn more about the main characters and the alter-reality they belong to. For instance, Gwen Stacey (Hailee Steinfeld – Voice) has been running from the law and her father ever since the death of her, Peter Parker in her reality. Here Peter is just a normal high school student who was not bitten by a spider, but Gwen was. Here she struggles with trying to be a student and fighting crime. Since her father is a police officer she is always trying to keep her identity a secret. When her dimension is attacked things get weird when she runs into Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac – Voice) and Jessica Drew (Issa Rae – Voice), who are trying to control their enemy who has escaped from their domains. She now learns that they have plans for her and it includes surfing across the spider-verse.
On Miles Morales (Shameik Moore – Voice) earth he wants to be more involved as spiderman, but when he does it seems to make him late to things. His parents Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry – Voice), his father an African American police officer and his mother Rio Morales (Luna Lauren Velaz – Voice), a Puerto Rican Nurse, are beginning to worry and maybe even suspect something. With his uncle now gone it appears in his dominion he has a new nemesis, who now has a plan to jump across the many spider verses.
When Miles runs into Gwen he learns of the team that is out to stop villains and even heroes from crossing the universes. Here is where they need to team up to stop the villains that want to expose all these worlds. Needing help they connect with the many spidermans, including their friend Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson – Voice), and together they set out to save all the dimensions.
Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K, Thompson outdo themselves with being able to express these easily confusing plots on screen. They keep the story on track and help guide the viewer through this interesting adventure along the many realms. They present this great narrative by using excellent animated special effects that transport us into the spider-verse. The voice acting was performed perfectly to build the personalities of each character and help keep the story on target.
This first installment of a two part series introduces what and how the spider-verse can look if diminished, and how important it is to our heroes. Part two is scheduled to come out sometime in 2024 so be ready for an exciting conclusion.
Final Comment: I based my grade on the fantastic special effects and the well represented storyline.
Stars 4 out of 5 Stars
Additional Film Information
Cast (Voice): Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Issa Rae, Luna Lauren Velez,
and Jake Johnson
Directed by: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K, Thompson
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, and Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: Rated PG for sequences of animated action violence, some language and thematic elements.
Running Time: 2 hours and 20 minutes
Release Date: June 2, 2023
Distributed By: Columbia Pictures
Release In: Dolby, Digital, IMAX, and Standard.
