Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a visual marvel, surpassing its predecessor in almost everyway. The animation is extremely creative and mind-blowing, the story is a massive concoction of chaos, emotion, and heart, and the action set pieces are masterful. It’s overwhelmingly ambitious in all the right ways, and it’s, as of right now, the film of the year. It’s further proof that superhero fatigue doesn’t exist when the creators involved have a genuine passion for these stories.

There’s a reason why Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse was my most anticipated movie of 2023. Into the Spider-Verse is arguably the greatest Spider-Man film ever made and one of the best superhero movies of all time. The thought of a sequel getting remotely close to it in quality is inconceivable, but Across the Spider-Verse manages to pull it off. My expectations for this film were already through the roof, and somehow, it was even better than what I anticipated. This review will be nothing but praise, because I really can’t think of a flaw. Simply put, it’s a masterpiece and one of the best movies I’ve seen in a long time. It’s also worth mentioning this review will be entirely spoiler-free, so don’t you worry.

What set Into the Spider-Verse apart from the rest of the animated realm is the animation style itself. Its unique aesthetic feels like a blend between hand-drawn animation and pages ripped straight out of a comic book and being brought to life. In fact, this animation style has been so influential, many other films have followed suit and have adopted it, or have at least made something similar to it, since it’s so different from all the other 3D model movies out there (not trying to bash those movies, just using it as a comparison). For reference, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, The Bad Guys, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and even the upcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem are all clearly inspired by the style of the Spider-Verse films. It’s safe to say it has completely changed how creators and animators view the medium as a whole, and Across the Spider-Verse takes it to an entirely new level.

The introduction to the entire film is awe-inspiring. It’s one of the best intros I’ve ever witnessed on the big screen, at least for quite some time. It perfectly sets the stage for the rest of the movie, and the animation plays a huge role in all of it. From the very beginning, it’s a visual feast. It seems to be toying with a variety of different animation styles, and I’m not exactly sure how they were able to pull it off, but it all seamlessly blends together in a perfect way. It gives off the illusion that specific frames and characters aren’t meant to be in that world or setting, but surprisingly, it never feels out of place or poorly done. To my knowledge, it’s one of the only films I’ve seen to masterfully mix together different animation styles in the same scene and make it all look visually stunning. Hours after watching it, there are still a ton of shots and sequences stuck in my brain. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most beautifully animated movies I’ve ever seen.

Speaking more on the intro, it perfectly sets the tone with the characters and the story it’s trying to tell. I don’t think it’s a secret how much more Gwen Stacy is given to do in this movie at this point, but it’s absolutely true. Hailee Steinfeld brings a certain charm and grace to this character I don’t think many others can. She feels much more like a main protagonist rather than another supporting character to Miles Morales, and her role at the very beginning expertly showcases this, while also carrying on the same sense of importance for the full runtime. Of course, Shameik Moore’s Miles is also fantastic. I truly feel he captures the essence of what being Spider-Man is all about. He’s constantly battling with himself internally about the decisions he makes and what he should do, and it’s evident with how it affects the relationships with those closest to him. The responsibility of being Spider-Man definitely takes a toll on him, and at times, like every other iteration of Peter Parker, he’s not sure what he should do. It’s also worth noting the decisions he has to make in this specific film, I don’t think any other Spider-Man has had to deal with something of this magnitude, at least in my opinion. I wish I can say more, but it’s best to experience all of the surprises and story elements for yourself.

A huge part of this movie is all of the other characters, including the rest of the Spider-Verse, which is too much to count, but also the others who are a part of his life. For example, I loved the role his Mom, Rio Morales (voiced by Luna Lauren Velez) plays in this movie. In many ways, she’s the foundation of the family and has the closest relationship with Miles. Like most mothers, they know when something’s up with their child, and it’s clear as day in this film, even though she may not know all of the details. The same can be said about Jefferson Davis (Bryan Tyree Henry), who also wants what’s best for Miles, but funnily enough, goes with whatever the Mom says, because obviously. One of the standouts for me was Oscar Isaac’s Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099. I’m a huge fan of whatever Isaac does, and he brings a certain intensity to this role that’s necessary for the character he’s trying to portray. I won’t dig much deeper into it, but it caught me off guard in all of the right ways. Once again, I want to say so much more about some of the other characters, including the main villain, The Spot, but it’s so much better if you experience it for yourself. I will say though; as a Spider-Man fan, this is absolutely a dream coming to life. The different variations of characters, including how they look, how they fight, and so on; it’s so cool to see.

The film’s plot really did it for me. There’s plenty of story to tell and a lot to juggle, but it manages to gracefully tell the story without it ever feeling messy or out of sync. Many of the sequences where there’s a lot of elements to the story are definitely chaotic, but it never fails to deliver the excitement it’s trying to convey. Where it mostly excelled, for me, were the calmer and quieter moments. Sometimes, it’s just characters talking to each other and having a very engaging dialogue, and it’s so well written and believable. Everything that happens in this movie feels in service to the narrative and the overall plot it’s trying to tell. Even the music feels essential to the plot and the overall film. The song selection is top tier, but the score accompanying everything else truly elevates the entire viewing experience, making it all that much more enjoyable.

There aren’t many words to describe how Across the Spider-Verse made me feel as both a comic book/superhero fan, and a movie buff in general. It’s rare to watch a movie where it checks every box in terms of what I consider essential to a film. It’s even more rare to see creators and filmmakers with this much love and care for the property they’re adapting. I’m completely enamored. This film is special and I don’t think there’s another film coming out this year that’ll top it. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a masterpiece and I don’t think it’s crazy to say it’s one of the best films of the last 25 years. It just might be the greatest Spider-Man film ever made.

Score: 10/10