At this point, it may be redundant for to me to recount Spider-Man’s success in pop culture. You would have to be living in a Batcave to know that the icon of Marvel has not only defined the realm of comics but the big screen as well with the Spider-Man franchise being one the most successful in the industry. In 2018 the franchise broke new ground with the release of the animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Not only did movie explore a new genre for the franchise but also brought rising hero Miles Morales to the forefront as he served as the film’s main protagonist. With its storytelling and style, the movie was a hit and brought something new to both the superhero and animated genre. It was clear that Sony Pictures had something special on their hands and it did not take for the studio to greenlight a sequel. It took some time but the new movie has finally made its way to theaters and Miles’ story continues in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

Across the Spider-Verse centers on Miles (Shameik Moore) joining Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) on a journey through the multiverse to stop The Spot (Jason Schwartzman) from wreaking havoc throughout various dimensions. Along with being directed by the team of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson (which is their feature directorial debut), the movie sets itself apart from its predecessor by being the first half of a two-part story; which will conclude in the movie Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse. Originally the split was more apparent when the movie was titled Across the Spider-Verse Part One but was changed after the film went through several delays. Between this and living up to 2018 film, there was a lot riding on Across the Spider-Verse. Being a major Spider-Man fan and enjoying Into the Spider-Verse, I knew this movie was going to be a must see for me; though I did have some reservations from the previews. Nevertheless, I swung to my local theater to see the latest Spider-Man film and the new animated feature is a stellar, albeit conflicting, continuation for the Spider-Verse.

After Into the Spider-Verse, it was clear any continuation would have a challenge on its hand. Not only would the sequel have to find a way continue Miles’ story but also up the ante in its Spider-Verse concept. Well Across the Spider-Verse does precisely that and the result was unexpected. Miles traveling the multiverse was the logical direction and had potential to take the plot to new places. The use of the multiverse was interesting and was able work with the personal tale of Miles Morales. However, it feels like it is like plot only goes so far. As soon the story grasps its main conflict, the film begins to reach its climax which left some of its points up in the air. The web this plot weaves was enticing to say the least, but it is difficult to gage its merits due to it being the start of a greater tale.

The story was not the only thing to up the ante as the cast looked to feature as many Spiders as possible. For the principal characters, their direction was not shocking. Miles continued to be a solid protagonist with his development feeling appropriate for the young hero-and the series itself. Gwen’s direction was surprising though I felt she needed a little more time to flourish. As for the icon himself, Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson) was enjoyable as ever and, despite his limited screen time, had memorable moments like a great scene he had with Miles. The supporting cast was certainly hit and miss. Addition like Miles’ parents (Brian Tyree Henry and Luna Lauren Velez) had their moments while the inclusion of Captain Stacy (Shea Whigham) was surprising as it gave Steinfeld’s Gwen some depth. As for the Spiders Society, characters like Jessica Drew (Issa Rae) and Patvitir Prabhakar (Karan Soni) were good, while others such as Ben Reily (Andy Samberg) and Hobbie Brown (Daniel Kaluuya) felt like caricatures and nothing else. As for Miguel O’Hare (Oscar Issacs), I enjoyed this take on the futuristic hero, but I felt like he needed more development and his main conflict with Miles felt rushed. As for villains, the movie found a good one in Jason Schwartzman as the Spot. While I would like to have seen more of the character, there was no denying that the C list villain worked for the film, and Schwartzman was able to bring his usual charm to this troubled character.

Out of all the factors surrounding this sequel, none may have been as prominent than the animation. Into the Spider-Verse had a dynamic sense of animation that brought something special to the genre, and its continuation did not disappoint. In fact, not only did Across the Spider-Verse expand its predecessor’s style, but refined it with its variety of animation and expansive cinematography which was evident in the movie’s array of references and cameos. This was also prevalent in the movie’s action which was as inventive and as exciting as any Spider-Man film. In the case of music, the score by Daniel Pemberton was fitting with its upbeat and energetic tunes and gave the movie a vibrant tone.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is indeed a proper sequel to the 2018 hit. Between its enticing storytelling and fantastic spectacle, the movie had plenty to offer both the Spider-Man franchise as well as its respected genres. Yet can I say that Across the Spider-Man is the best Spider-Man film to day? My answer is unfortunately no-at least not yet. The film is undoubtedly an animated experience, but with it being very much the first part of a bigger story some of its points only go so far-though this could easily change after the release of Beyond the Spider-Verse. Still I admire the sequel’s ambitious direction and ,for now, I will say that Across the Spide-Verse is a stellar animated film; and hopefully a great solid to start to an animated epic.