by Noah Bair ‘24

Even though the first movie in the series, Into the Spider-Verse, saw a 97-percent score on Rotten Tomatoes and numerous awards including the Best Animated Feature Film at the 2019 Golden Globes, Across the Spider-Verse may have topped it. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld provide incredible voice performances once again as Miles Morales and Gwen Stacy, respectively. In addition, Oscar Isaac (Spider-Man 2099) and Issa Rae (Spider-Woman) are fabulous as newcomers in the series, expanding the Spider-Verse.

Following the plot of the first movie, there are many cameos from Spider-Men from multiple universes. While a few cameos seem forced and unnatural, most will be nostalgic for Spider-Man fans of all ages. Comic book fanatics should be sure to keep their eyes out for references to past movies and TV shows throughout the film. Across the Spider-Verse does a great job of sneaking in small easter eggs and callbacks to past films in the Sony and Marvel franchises.

Not only does the anticipated sequel feature an incredible cast of actors and actresses, but the soundtrack is full of superheroes in their own right. Producer Metro Boomin creates a near-perfect soundtrack with help from hip hop icons such as Lil Wayne, Future, and 21 Savage. Despite jumping between worlds in the movie, the soundtrack accurately captures the feel of each respective universe over the course of the thirteen songs.

The movie’s official runtime is 140 minutes, 24 minutes longer than the first movie of the series, but it still doesn’t feel long enough. Even though the movie jumps between universes and features dozens of characters, it is very easy to follow plotlines and character stories, as when a new character is introduced, they are given a “comic book introduction” where they are able to tell their origin story.

Across the Spider-Verse is a must-see for all superhero fans. Not only does it have a compelling and inventive storyline, but the animation style that the directors employed has a very individualistic feel that is far different from any live action superhero movie. The film sets the stage for a possible crossover between Sony’s animated Spider-Verse and Marvel’s live action universe. Viewers should be excited for more Spider-Man movies to come in the next few years, and more fan favorite characters to be introduced with the development of the Spider-Verse.