Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review: An Animated Visual Feast
9/10 — Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Pros
- Stunning, inventive animation
- Emotional heart
- Great voice cast
Cons
- Cliffhanger ending
- Frantic pace
Miles Morales is catapulted across the multiverse, meeting a huge team of Spider-people, only to clash with them over his place in the story. It picks up where Into the Spider-Verse left off and raises the stakes.
What works
The animation is jaw-dropping, mixing watercolour, comic-book and glitch aesthetics in different universes. Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld are warm and funny, and the film has the confidence to explore real emotional ground, including Miles’s relationship with his parents.
Where it falters
It’s a middle chapter that ends on a cliffhanger, and the runtime of over two hours is demanding. The pace can be hectic.
Verdict
A gorgeous, ambitious sequel that reaches for the heights.
