Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (Peter Ramsey, Robert Persichetti Jr., Rodney Rothman)

[Henry Gale]

IMDb / Wiki

[Henry Gale]

I would've never expected a year ago when the first trailer (wildly different in tone and visual look) dropped between Homecoming and Infinity War that upon seeing it I'd be pondering where it may fall in my Top 10 of 2018, but here we are with this incredible, beautiful, lucid, endlessly creative piece of work and I'm spoiled having seen it early while also completely, irrationally mad I have to wait two weeks to see it again.

I love Raimi's Spider-Man 2, Homecoming, and to some extent even Webb's first Garfield installment, but this may just surpass them all, while also allowing them all help make this film's ideas and weight all the more potent.

[Ivan Drago]

Yeah, the last time I felt infectiously excited after a Spider-Man movie was after I saw the first one in theaters in 2002. I can't wait to expand on this further when more people see it.

Also, this may just be me, but I couldn't look at Kingpin in this movie without thinking of the bodyguards in The Triplets of Belleville. The animation styles employed in this are truly tremendous.

[Henry Gale]

Yeah, the last time I felt infectiously excited after a Spider-Man movie was after I saw the first one in theaters in 2002. I can't wait to expand on this further when more people see it.

Absolutely. The marketing has been really smart to advertise the very madcap, Lego Movie-esque nature of it, but there is so much wisely left out, particularly from its opening act that make it so unexpected and refreshing to see play out in the actual film.

If I'm this over the moon about this at my age, I can't imagine how ecstatic I'd be to see this as a kid today. Not to mention its unexpected undercurrent of poignancy, which combined with its moments of perfectly orchestrated elation made me baffled that it managed to also honestly choke me up at least three times.

[Watashi]

This movie is a revelation. If you have superhero fatigue or been tired by Pixar's recent output, this is the perfect antidote for the year. One of the best animated films of the decade and maybe the best pure "comic book" movie... ever? It is a living vibrant thing of beauty where a Nicolas Cage-voiced Noir Spider-man made me teary-eyed. God, I hope this wins the Oscar over Pixar/Disney.

[Weems]

Corny and dull. I was so much more impressed by the trailer.

[StuSmallz]

This is easily the most visually amazing animated film I've seen since Wall-E, and as far as live-action stuff goes, it's probably on the same level of even something like 2001 when it comes to sheer, unparalleled visual splendor, which, along with the excellent writing, sense of humor, and overall level of emotion, combine to make everyone who would refuse to see this just because it's a PG-rated animated movie look like a complete and utter fool. Everyone, see it, now.

[Ezee E]

Corny and dull. I was so much more impressed by the trailer.

Here is the "Cut" quote for 2018's top film countdown.

[transmogrifier]

Would love to see it, but this thing is disappearing quickly here in Korea. It might be gone by the time my semester is finished.

[Henry Gale]

Got to see it again this week and I was definitely just as elated. It's just such a joyous, emotional, almost dream-like piece of work with so much ingenuity and craft in it, which is something I don't think I could've anticipated when it was essentially announced as "animated Spider-Man movie Sony is making because they can't do much else.." a few years back.

Pretty easily my favourite "big" movie of this year. Even the things I expected to maybe not have as much power of surprise upon repeat played totally different in their effectiveness because those threads are rich enough that you can knowingly track where the grander plans of each story piece, bit of dialogue, and character arc are ultimately going. It's so jam-packed with ideas, themes, references and yet incredibly never feels overstuffed or unfocused. The fact that there is apparently twenty minutes of fully rendered deleted scenes is both really surprising because of how unusual that is for the medium, but for this particular movie makes total sense.

The one big difference with my second viewing that I got to see it in 3D this time, and wow does it use it masterfully. I'm not sure there's any other movie this year that I would've recommended people go out of their way to see in 3D, but this movie absolutely knows how to utilize it to the fullest for a significantly more immersive and almost overwhelming sensory experience. Not to mention that (unless our projection was especially great) the DCP is still bright and colourful enough that even with the tint of the glasses everything in its art direction still pops beautifully.

[Morris Schæffer]

Liked it. The first 30 minutes are really good, the visuals grabbed me, there's even a big shock relatively early on, but then I think the movie slowly but surely starts to outstay its welcome. It is oftentimes incredibly kinetic, but rather than exhulting "OH WOW IT'S JUST LIKE A COMIC BOOK!!" and being along for the ride all the way to the end, I was beginning to veer towards exhaustion and "NO LONGER GIVING A DAMN" territory.

Not sure the multiple spideys is something I wanted to see, especially because Miles is already another Spider-Man anyway. It somewhat undercuts the earlier shock [

Show Spoiler

when Kingpin kills original Spider-Man because suddenly Spider-Men pop out of the ground like mushrooms, hereby lessening the impact of his death.

]

This movie gets way, way too busy, and although the psychedelic colors are funky and there is a permanent feeling that it's at least a breath of fresh air, it was too much for me.

[[ETM]]

My wife and I had the theater to ourselves when we saw it on Thursday. I echo the previous comments: stunning piece of work, but works best for die-hard Spiderman fans. The rest of us usually get antsy towards the end.

[dreamdead]

Really enjoyed this one. The central relationship between Parker and Morales was well done, some actual nuanced work between father and son Morales, and invigorating animation style throughout.

I do wish the film had devoted just a bit more time to situating Gwen and Miles as friends in the second act rather than as Miles's misbegotten romantic partners as the finale doesn't quite work since it still feels more like sexual attraction than kindred spirits.

[Skitch]

I think this film invented a thousand new colors. New official standard for color testing new TVs, and when it comes out on home video it will be used on every store display model. That movie felt like when you get your eye prescription updated...or like when the acid starts to kick in. A lot of people have been saying best superhero movie ever and/or best Spider-Man movie ever. I don't know if it deserves either spot, but I wouldn't argue anyone feeling that way. BEAUTIFUL, wonderful, touching, great score. Looking forward to revisiting when the 4-year-old isn't more fascinated with his recliner buttons because he had to sit through ten trailers, a short film, and a couple commercials.

P.S. - Middle aged guy in the front row scrolling the internet on your phone the whole movie...you're a monster. Guy beside me who excused himself to take a phone call...you're a model citizen, may you leave long and reproduce many times.

P.P.S. - We watched the 10a.m. show today (a thursday) and it was only a couple seats away from sold out. Crazy.

[Dead & Messed Up]

P.P.S. - We watched the 10a.m. show today (a thursday) and it was only a couple seats away from sold out. Crazy.

We didn't get (assigned seating) tickets for my showing tonight until a couple hours before, and we had to settle for front-row center. Place was packed.

And a fun, innovative, charming, sincere flick. Sometimes everything happening on-screen was just too much for my eyes, but the clarity of storytelling re: the two leads and the villain give all the free-wheeling insanity an anchor. Basically The Lego Movie of this year.

[Peng]

Much more conventional in broad story strokes than I expected (the Kingpin villain, though not bad per se, feels like something lifted from a lesser film), thus when its balance of comedy and pathos is tonally off sometimes, it clanks more for me given the ambition. But otherwise this is so full of visual splendor, rambunctious meta-comedy, and intricate character details (especially how Spider people play off each other) that in the moment its propulsive kineticism proves constantly delightful rather than exhausting. Also, as someone who adores Jake Johnson, I was elated to find more than a strong dose of New Girl's Nick Miller in his Peter Parker portrayal. The way his Parker's lazy slacker, shortcut-finding demeanor layers thickly atop a bruised, surprisingly full heart feels like the Jake Johnson persona modulated to burned-out superhero perfection. 8/10

[Skitch]

I'm still thinking about this movie every day and every film I've watched since has been compared to it.

[Stay Puft]

I just posted about how much fun I had watching Aquaman and now I have to say the same about this. It's weird that there are multiple superhero films, multiple blockbusters in general right now (also including Bumblebee) that I am feeling generally positive on, having enjoyed watching so much, but perhaps I'm just getting soft in my old age.

This might be the best of the bunch but I still have some misgivings. I thought the action was weak relative to the spectacular animation deployed in other moments, particularly some of the more humorous moments (Miles sticking to everything after initially being bit is probably the best "action" scene in the whole movie), and the plotting is far too cluttered in the second half. I enjoyed the first half a lot more, since it focused more on Miles. By the time there are multiple Spider-People running around, and we're stopping for an emotional beat involving one of them making a sacrifice, even though they're functionally jokes for most of the film, and then we're stopping for emotional beats involving Kingpin (like WHY?), as if this story even necessitates backstory or empathy or motivation for the perfunctory role of its antagonist (it could have literally been anybody, and I don't even know why it's Kingpin), and I don't know what it is with me and super long sentences tonight, I was losing focus and stopped caring.

That being said, "I want you to have this. It will fit in your pocket." is maybe the hardest I've laughed all year. It's the simple things.

Best post-credit stinger of all-time, too.

[Stay Puft]

I do wish the film had devoted just a bit more time to situating Gwen and Miles as friends in the second act rather than as Miles's misbegotten romantic partners as the finale doesn't quite work since it still feels more like sexual attraction than kindred spirits.

Yeah, I thought they whiffed this plotline. Not a lot about the third act was working for me, dramatically.

Which reminds me of something else: The film is so cluttered in the back half that it feels like it rushes through part of Miles's arc. Like he can't be Spider-Man one moment and suddenly can the next, after one scene. I wanted to see him actually start to master his abilities, instead of suddenly unlocking all of them after leveling up (+50xp for completing the dialogue scene with his father, apparently). Maybe I'd feel different on a second viewing, better attuned to its rhythms and knowing what to expect, but on an initial viewing, I'm convinced the scripting sort of falls apart by the end.

[Grouchy]

This was gorgeous to look at. I particularly loved that it's a story and a universe that could not be portrayed in live action. And, actually, the characterization of Kingpin was one of my favorite parts of the film - they rendered his physicality (which is also impossible to do with an actor unless they used heavy prosthetics) correctly and they quickly established a clear motivation for him. Nicolas Cage as Spider-Noir was also inspired character building.

In short, I'm astonished with this one's freshness and its unique style. I agree that it should become the new standard for TV color correction. As a very tiny and minor complaint, the soundtrack is overall not very memorable.

[Grouchy]

Spiderman feature films ranked:

1. Spiderman 2
2. Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse
3. Spiderman
4. Spiderman: Homecoming
5. Spiderman 3
6. The Amazing Spiderman
7. The Amazing Spiderman 2

[Peng]

I don't think it's that far above Incredibles 2 for me (about 8/10 both, although Spider-Verse places higher), but it would be cool if this goes all the way and gets that Oscar.

[transmogrifier]

It's good, but the last battle is a mess of noise and magic and I really could not care less about more daddy issues. That seemed half-arsed and cheap.

[Irish]

The most visually impressive animated movie I've seen in ages. Just goddamn beautiful. I like cartoons a little more when they push the medium and do things, effortlessly, that you couldn't possibly do in live action.

One of the best Marvel outings. (I'm not sure it beats out the first two Cap movies or Thor: Ragnarok).

BUT ... otherwise, I gotta echo Morris' sentiments.

This was 2 hours of plot, plot, plot and man oh man that plot wasn't interesting. It's totally on rails, linear to a fault, a movie about a boring ass techo-macguffin and the entire story would fit comfortably inside a mediocre CRPG. (Find the magic key, level up, beat the boss.)

I've heard of Spider-Pig and Spider-Gwen before, but I knew nothing about them and this film didn't add to my limited knowledge. Outside a few moments around Miles' uncle and Peter B's burnout, there is zero character development. Zero, really, outside that relentless plot, plot, plot.

Feels largely like a movie written by fans for fans and so requires a HUGE amount of outside context for the non-action beats to land. But there are so few of those that it almost doesn't matter. It's also a movie that plays like a continuous set-piece.

So the moments where Miles takes his "leap of faith" or Kingpin thinks about his family felt cheesy --- the movie reaching for sentiment that was unsupported because the characters were underwritten. Ditto the one-liners and tearful goodbyes at the end.

Still, overall a positive experience. So I voted "yay." The first hour or so is bright and entertaining and the visuals can't be beat.

[Ezee E]

Despite being one of the more visually interesting animated movies since... Spirited Away... This gets to be kind of a slog to finish, and it really hits at the moment the "SpiderVerse" becomes real. "Another hour?!"