Title: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
MPA Rating: PG
Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Starring: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac
Runtime: 2 hrs 20 mins

What It Is: Miles Morales (Moore) is but a mild mannered, though brilliant, teenager. When he goes into the Underground with his uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali) he’s bitten by a radioactive spider. Now he’s New York’s one and only Spider-Man. This we already know. Now he’s gained some experience following the events of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Through that he’s learned what being Spider-Man is all about. When an odd new villain named “The Spot” (Jason Schwartzman) shows up on to the scene he opens up (literally) a bunch of other issues. Tears into other dimensions that must be fixed.

What We Think: This might just be the best film of 2023. Not the best animated film THE BEST FILM of the year. Once again the storytelling from a narrative perspective is absolutely stellar. All the returning voice actors continue to do excellent work. Shameik Moore is perfect as Miles, Hailee Steinfeld has Gwen Stacy down to a tee. From a visual perspective this surpasses the first one because of one SUBTLE thing it does that I found game changing. Each Spider-Man has it’s own different animation style in their Spider-Verse. This little detail makes such a difference and makes the film feel so unique to anything.

Our Grade: A+, I haven’t given out an A+ all year. This is DEFINITELY the first film to earn that grade. A unique and brilliant feature that does something no other superhero film, let alone any other animated film does, has done or probably will do. It shapes it’s own world and the world’s of multiple universes. This is an immediate yes for me. See this film on the biggest screen with the best sound. It’s gorgeous, emotional and a perfectly crafted film…even if it’s only part one. Damn Hollywood.