Film Review: ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

Mark Jackson
Updated:
PG | 2h 20m | Animated, Superhero, Action | June 2, 2023

For Spider-Man Experts Only

Warning: this review of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” may suffer from Generation Gap-itis. At the press screening, I sat next to a trio of what looked to be Generation-Z critics who were on the edge of their seats for the duration of the 2 hour, 20 minute run-time, “Oo-ing” and “Aah-ing” about various details. Their minds were absolutely blown by the cameos, which would occasionally slam them back into their seats, where they would need a bit of recovery time for their breathing to return to normal. I, on the other hand, was bored out of my skull.
Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation
Here’s the deal: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” would like very much to be an artsy, animated, superhero film. The problem is that the original “Spider-Man” movie brand was intended for a wide demographic spectrum—not merely obsessive comic-book enthusiasts. But this film has a highly annoying tendency to cater to Spider-Man experts. Basically, it’s a convoluted mess.

What Plot?

This is the movie version of folks who suffer from extreme clutter. Ever visit that particular artist-type who’s got epic clutter? Like, actual pathways around islands of paper, book stacks, and dirty laundry, that stand four-feet high? It would take 10 pages to define the plot here. If you’re not a dyed-in-the-wool Spider-nerd, the entire movie presents as a barrage of rapidly shifting visuals that look like a sped-up documentary of circa-1970’s New York subway graffiti, jumping from one subplot to the next without much explanation or resolution. That, combined with the current trend of movie theaters to blast sound at the decibel-level of a NASCAR racetrack, can leave you with a headache.
Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation

Okay, here’s the plot: In “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” Miles Morales, the movie’s central character, also known as web-slinging superhero Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) is a high school senior. Miles seems to be just as confused by what’s going on in his world as many viewers will be. Miles, who lives in New York City’s Brooklyn, is one of several people or creatures who have a Spider-Man superhero alter-ego.

In the Spider-Verse, these various Spidey iterations can time-shift and appear in other universes, depending on if they have the power to do so or are sent there by someone else. Unlike the teenage Peter Parker in the “Spider-Man” franchise, or even the Miles Morales in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” the Miles in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is barely shown in school or interacting with classmates.

Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore) in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation

Miles’s main ally in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is Gwen Stacy (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), a blond teenage girl with a punk haircut, around Miles’s age, who may or may not be his love interest. Gwen has a superhero alter ego named Spider-Gwen, who was the last person known to see the adult Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson), also known as the most famous Spider-Man, before Peter died.

Gwen’s police officer dad George Stacy (voiced by Shea Whigham), who’s had a rocky relationship with Gwen, is determined to arrest Spider-Gwen, not knowing that his daughter is really Spider-Gwen. Got all that?

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”: All You Need to Know

(L–R) Rio Morales (voice by Luna Lauren Vélez), her son, Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore), and husband, Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry), at the principal's office in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
(L–R) Rio Morales (voice by Luna Lauren Vélez), her son, Spider-Man (voiced by Shameik Moore), and husband, Jefferson Davis (Brian Tyree Henry), at the principal's office in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation

This superhero animated film features a racially diverse cast of characters (black, white, and Latino) representing the working-class and middle-class. The film, trying to pack a multi-verse-hopping story with several parallel plots into a two hour and twenty minute runtime, includes many, um, progressive, and perhaps, healing elements? Like, for example, “BLM” stickers alongside talk of “good cops”? And a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment when a disabled Spider-person makes a joke about using humor as a crutch?

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is so enamored with the concept of multitudinous Spider-beings that, as if using a fire hose, it sprays out a huge mess of them, to the point that quantity squelches any real quality character development.

A Spider-Man iteration in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
A Spider-Man iteration in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation

This is a review for, say, 40-somethings and up. Rotten Tomatoes now has, like, one hundred million film critics; if you want a glowing Gen-Z review of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” you need only scroll for five seconds to find one.

Three more Spider-Man iterations in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
Three more Spider-Man iterations in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation

Parents hoping for an engaging watch for their kids should know the kids will most likely be immediately bored and/or confused. Part of the success of the original episode of this spin-off franchise of “Into the Spider-Verse” was its stand-alone ability—there were plenty of references for comics fans, of course, but it was entirely legible to viewers unfamiliar with every piece of Spider-Man media.

“Across the Spider-Verse,” however, make you feel like there are movies, video games, and TV shows you’d need to consume to have any understanding it.

Spider-Man versus Vulture in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
Spider-Man versus Vulture in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation
Columbia Pictures/Sony Pictures Animation will release “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” in U.S. cinemas on June 2, 2023.
Movie poster for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” (Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation)
Movie poster for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.” Columbia Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation
‘Spider-Man- Across the Spider-Verse’ Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson Starring voice actors: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, J.K. Simmons, Daniel Kaluuya, Jason Schwartzman, Rachel Dratch, Brian Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Vélez, Issa Rae, Jake Johnson, Shea Whigham, Karan Soni MPAA Rating: PG Running Time: 2 hour, 20 minutes Release Date: June 2, 2023 Rating: 1.5 out of 5 stars
Mark Jackson
Mark Jackson
Film Critic
Mark Jackson is the chief film critic for the Epoch Times. In addition to film, he enjoys martial arts, motorcycles, rock-climbing, qigong, and human rights activism. Jackson earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Williams College, followed by 20 years' experience as a New York professional actor. He narrated The Epoch Times audiobook "How the Specter of Communism is Ruling Our World," available on iTunes, Audible, and YouTube. Mark is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic.
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