Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse... was a really fun movie. Not Venom 2018 levels of fun (that review is coming soon by the way), in which the story and characters make little sense but manage to be endearing anyway. The fun is made through both engaging protagonist characters and unique animation styles. Let's dive in and examine what sells this movie.
I won't be completely reiterating the plot, but briefly summarizing it. Essentially, through dimensional antics instigated by the crime boss "Kingpin", several spider-people from different alternate universes come together, and resolve that they must work together to destroy the threat this criminal boss possesses. Mind you, Kingpin has his own motivations for opening up and tearing space-time, but ignores the inconvenient fact complete activation of the mechanism would swirl Brooklyn into a black hole.
Heroes and villains here are concrete, there are no set anti-heroes, which is completely fine considering Deadpool and Venom exist now as testaments to those crossing the fine line between good and bad consistently. Instead, the battle lines are clear and drawn, and we get a somewhat complex conflict as the Kingpin's motivations are interlocked with Miles Morales (the film protagonist). Both are driven by a need to protect their family, or in Kingpin's case, return them back to him. The duality is clearly displayed throughout many scenes in the movie. Kingpin kills one of Miles's family, Uncle Aaron, out of infuriated anger, acting as the contrast and funnel for Miles, the protagonist whom must power through hardship.
There are numerous references sprinkled throughout the movie for diehard hardcore fans and more lighter Marvel followers both, and there are many appeals to both demographics. Mainly the consist nodding to Spiderman comics, and Marvel tie-ins such as Stan Lee (rest in peace). However, one constant remains the same, that being the remarkable charm and comedic moments which permeate this movie. Unlike the Last Jedi, comedy dares not step into major emotional scenes and devalue them. Alongside this, the musical score is rather fitting for an urban adventure flick, which bolsters the movie's already growing list of pros.
Continuing further, the movie creates a tangible atmosphere and sense of tension with the amazing animation style, which carries a unique flair. The integration of comic-book style actions and wordings is a style I hope many superhero flicks in the future will imitate. Initially, I was hesitant to accept this strange new art format, but it grew on me quickly.
Overall, there's not much I can say about this movie which hasn't already been widely stated and accepted. It's a fun, engaging, and entertaining flick that contains many heartfelt moments. Being a first-time Spiderman fan, this was probably not a great choice to introduce myself to the web-slinging superhero, but nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Expect more Winter Break movie reviews. 9/10!