SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE
Spidey’s Miles funnier
Cert PG Running time 116mins ★★★★★
Along comes a Spider-Man as you’ve never seen him before in this deliriously entertaining animated spin on your friendly neighbourhood superhero. Joyous, thrilling and inclusive, it’s a pulsating neon kaleidoscope of jokes, action and invention as several different Spiderpeople team up to save the fabric of the universe being torn apart by the infamous crime lord, The Kingpin.
However, this is not the Peter Parker character familiar from the Marvel films and comics, but another version of the webswinger, Afro-latino schoolboy Miles Morales, who exists independently of the mainstream Marvel Cinematic Universe of the upcoming Avengers: Endgame.
Rapper and actor Shameik Moore gives a lovely grounded performance as the voice of schoolboy Miles, alongside an impressive cast which includes Oscar winners Mahershala Ali and Nicolas Cage.
Miles is bitten, as is tradition, by a radioactive spider, but before he can learn to control his great new powers, he’s given the huge responsibility of saving the world from the effects of a parallel dimensions machine.
Through this window to the multi-verse swing various Spidertypes of different genders, styles and species which range from 1930s noir, to Japanese manga and a sort of Porky Pig character. Providing a team dynamic and lots of humour, this solves the problem of Spidey having to talk to himself to explain the plot, while proving what a flexible character Spider-Man is.
It’s produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller who made 2014’s brilliant The Lego Movie, and they fill this with their infectious Looney Tunes-style energy.
And while honouring Spidey’s humble pulp comic origins, extraordinary optimism and human fallibility, they offer a touching tribute to his late creators, Steve Ditko and Stan Lee. It’s the most enjoyable Spider-man film yet.
In swing various Spider-types of different genders, styles and species, from 1930s noir to Japanese manga and a Porky Pigtype character