It is indeed a rare occasion when an animated feature gives more traditional films a run for their money. This movie was stacked up against quite a number of odds: Sony hasn't had a good record of representing the web-head on screen since the critically acclaimed Spider-Man II; Sam Raimi's Spider-Man III fell short because of studio interference, and The Amazing Spider-Man franchise was an unnecessary addition that disintegrated when it sacrificed concise storytelling for the sake of trying to saddle us with a spin-off that no one requested (basically, the Blade Trinity treatment). Tom Holland's Spider-Man is basically touted as an MCU-property, and then we've had the strange spin-off that was Venom.On top of that, they chose to give us an alternative protagonist choice in the form of the Ultimate Universe's Miles Morales, in addition to weaving the stories of multiple spider-folk from alternate universes. Lastly, they opted for an art-house look to this movie, to give us the feeling a comic was unfolding in front of our eyes.
I am glad to proclaim that everything about this movie works. It is a beautiful introduction to Miles Morales, his complicated relationship with his cop-father who tries to balance his love for Miles with the need to ensure that he can secure a better future for his son; we also delve into Miles' relationship with his uncle, Aaron Davis (his father's estranged brother), who embraces Miles' awkwardness and offers a respite to the turn of events bulldozing through Miles' life. Of course the spider bite throws an even bigger wrench into Miles' life, and leads him on a path of self discovery.
It might have been hard for Miles to pick up on the superhero biz if he was left to his own devices, but, luckily, the rest of the Spiderverse comes to his aid. Peter Parker (Sam Raimi's version) serves as Miles principal mentor, providing a sarcastic, grizzled and jaded outlook to the fledgling superhero's expectations. However, deep down, he still maintains the compassion necessary to empathize with Miles' innocence, confusion and slow start to heroism. Spider-Gwen (an alternate Gwen Stacy), is Miles' peer, and provides an alternative to Peter Parker's war-weary view on the world.
Going by the clips already released, you realize that Spider-Man Noir, Peni Parker and Spider-Ham get smaller roles in this movie; however, they chew up the scenes in which they star. Nicholas Cage's over-the-top black and white characterization gives Noir a seriousness that is very comical. Spider-Ham is something out of a Looney Toons short, fitting perfectly into the absurd mould cast for him, and even proving that a cuddly cartoon character is not one to be messed with. I feel like Peni Parker got the short end of the stick when it comes to vocal characterization, but she is a packaged deal (her and her robot sidekick), so we get something of a montage of her doing science-y things within the robot.
A lot of praise needs to be given to the assembly of the rogues' gallery for this spectacle. The Kingpin is a hulking behemoth of a man, and as if that wasn't enough, he has multiple enforcers (one of whom is such a lovely surprise that organically unfolds in the course of the movie). The Prowler definitely makes this seem like more than a PG-movie, because he is a scary character who provides a fair share of jump-scares. Whenever he's around, he's shrouded by an eerie guttural growl that makes him seem like a wraith. Tombstone plays out like a typical enforcer, and the (monstrous) Green Goblin and Scorpion are characterized as more brawn than brains. As the main antagonist, Kingpin's story borrows a lot from Netflix's portrayal by Vincent D'Onofrio, juxtaposing his ruthlessness against his ultimate motives.
Everything about this movie screams an appreciation for the rich Spider-Man lore that's preceded it, even poking fun at Raimi's Spider-Man III or an age old Spider-Man meme. The style of this movie is unique, and there's nothing jarring about it. From the very beginning, they set out to make a unique living comic book, and it provides a feast for the senses whether it's approaching the slower sentimental parts or wowing us with jaw-dropping action sequences.
The soundtrack also elevates this movie to another level. I've been on Youtube, and what's listed as the soundtrack is mostly current features, most of which are autotune and triplet flow heavy. Some of the tracks are more enjoyable when they're not divorced from the movie, and it is really sad that they haven't published a version of "What's up Danger" that's accompanied by the movie score as occurs in the "Becoming Spider-Man clip"; however, there are old school tracks peppered aplenty within the movie. Watching Miles' pursue a day at school to the tune of Blackalicious' "Chemical Calesthenics" is a godsend; listening to Aaron Davis play and then modulate the levels for Biggie's "Hypnotize" will have you wilding out in the theatre when you hear it. Congratulations to the crate-diggers who made this movie a reality.
Lastly, thanks are due for a writing team that respected both the source material and the audience to whom they present it. The comedy always lands, but they do not shy away from giving us the deep conflict that Stan Lee always sought to show us is inherent to being a hero like Spider-Man despite the insurmountable odds. They weave loss deep into the fabric of this movie, again reflecting that sacrifice and helplessness are also tied to the life of a hero.
I could not sing enough praises for this movie because it is the total package, a breath of fresh air in a movie landscape that has not posed too many surprises lately. I definitely have to watch it again to relive this experience anew. A world class A+ for this magical feat.
God Bless.
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