Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Movie Review - You Can Wear the Mask

By: Lynn Barker

In Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, the Peter Parker Spider-Man (voice of Jake Johnson) tells us how he enjoys being the one and only Spider-Man. Meanwhile, in Brooklyn, teen Miles Morales (voice of Shameik Moore) listens to tunes and reluctantly dresses for classes at a posh prep school he hates. His dad and mom love him. He hates to leave the homies in his hood. He is bitten by a radioactive spider and begins to have spidey-powers. He’s freaked. When he’s yanked into a parallel dimension, he learns he’s not the only Spider-person and that the survival of his home dimension will depend on him!

Shameik Moore with the posterCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Trailer

Troubles at Home

15-year-old Miles Morales is pleasing his parents by going to a posh school across town called Visions Institute. His cop dad Jefferson (Brian Tyree Henry) and mom Rio (Luna Lauren Velez) love him a lot so he goes to the school where he doesn’t fit in. He meets new student Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) and is smitten. He goes to his lowlife uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali) to get tips on handling girls. While laying down some graffiti in the subway tunnels, Miles gets bitten by a weird spider. Later, he starts manifesting Spider-man powers and is freaked. His pants are too tight and he’s sticking to everything!

Things are freaky in the Spider-VerseCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Another Universe

Could Miles be turning into another Spider-Man? On going into the tunnels and touching the dead spider that bit him, he is transported into a parallel dimension he doesn’t understand. Back home he is aided by Peter Parker/Spider-Man who has to destroy a big collider machine that will open a black hole under Brooklyn and destroy Miles’ world! Inside the machine is Kingpin/Wilson Fisk (Live Schreiber) who is running the show. The machine won’t fire up at present. He wants to go into the other dimensions in search of his dead wife and son. Peter is attacked by The Prowler villain and is very badly injured and gives Miles the key to stop the collider before it starts up again. He’ll have to step up as Spider-Man. Kingpin kills the Peter Parker Spider-Man!

KingpinCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Three Spideys?

Now, Prowler is after Miles to kill him. Miles goes home and tells mom and dad to leave town. It’s isn’t safe here. The TV news says Spider-Man is dead. Miles goes to a costume store and the owner (Voice of the late Stan Lee) gives him a suit and tells him that anybody can wear the mask. They have to choose it. Even Mary Jane (Zoe Kravitz) tells the world they can all be Spider-Man, heroes. Miles has trouble using his powers. He falls off a building and breaks the collider key! He does to Spider-Man’s grave to apologize but, there is another, older, less-in-shape Spider-Man there! In his dimension, he’s split up with wife Mary Jane who just didn’t see him enough. He was sucked here when a black hole opened up in his apartment.

Miles is the new Spider-ManCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Shorting Out

The new Spidey keeps shorting out. His body can’t live long in this dimension but he wants to help but the key is broken. Now, he and Miles will have to team up to get another one from the Alchemix Corporation where Kingpin has given a scientist 24-hours to get the collider repaired. Miles discovers he has the power to go invisible. The two Spideys are caught by the scientist who is actually Doctor Olivia Octavius (Doc Ock voice of Kathryn Hahn). Miles is able to help rescue this Spider-Man and together they run with a new “key” and have all the evil scientists chasing them. Miles is learning Spidey swinging skills and more on the run. Someone is helping them.

Doc Ock has grabbed SpideyCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Spider-Woman Gwen

Aiding the two Spideys from yet another dimension is Spider-Woman Gwen who was blown into Miles’ dimension a week before. That’s who he met and liked at his school! They all wonder how many Spider-People are out there! Kingpin and Doc Ock will turn on the collider again the next day. Miles, Peter and Gwen go to Aunt May’s house.

Spider-Gwen comes to helpCourtesy of Sony Pictures

May knows about the alternate dimensions and is a little upset to see this Peter; older, a little paunchier etc. but she takes them to a hidden Spider-lair in her backyard shed. There they meet other Spider-Beings, a talking Spider-Pig called Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), Spider-Man Noir (Nicholas Cage), and a young Japanese Spider-Girl named Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn).

The six Spider-BeingsCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Can Six Spider-Beings Save the Day?

Each of these beings from other dimensions has a power all his or her own. Can they combine and work together to stop the collider? Can those from other dimensions ever get home? Who is the mystery Prowler villain? Will Miles manage to gain enough confidence in himself and his powers to become the one Spider-Man of his/our dimension?

Peter Parker/Spidey vs. The ProwlerCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Wrapping Up

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is great entertainment on all levels. It is really funny, has great emotional “heart” and the colorful, unique animation is like a great comic book come to life. Even the opening credits take us in and out of the Multi-verse. The story is certainly strong enough for a live-action film but, as presented in animation, it is fresh, new and enlivens the whole Spidey genre. 

Peter, Gwen and Miles must work togetherCourtesy of Sony Pictures

I love the theme, that every Spider-Man or “being” is an everyperson, an ordinary gal or guy stepping up under extraordinary circumstances. All have a conscience and sympathize with each other and all Mankind. Also, we can all wear a superhero mask if we care and have belief in ourselves. These multi-dimensional Spideys love and care about each other. Cool!  I enjoyed an Aunt May (voice of Lily Tomlin) who is clued in and very helpful. She doesn’t need saving by any Spider-Person.

Peter Parker teaches Miles how to swingCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Stay in your seat for a mid-credits tribute to the late Marvel great Stan Lee and also co-creator and artist Steve Ditko.  A post credits scene takes us back to the 1960's comic version of Spidey.

Brought to you by the guys who created The LEGO Movie, the film gives us great action sequences, fights, chases etc. This movie has it all. All ages can get into it on some level. It truly would work for the whole family.  We love it. Goin’ 5 stars!

Miles wants a new suitCourtesy of Sony Pictures

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Movie Rating: 

Spirder-Man: Into The Spider-Verse PosterCourtesy of Sony Pictures

See Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in theaters now!

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