“With great power comes great responsibility” – since the debut of the Spider-Man character decades ago, these words have resounded in every incarnation of the character, who has become most likely the most significant creation of Marvel Comics, and has undergone so much change throughout the years. Cinematically, we have seen many different interpretations of the character, some of them being excellent, others not to much. 2018 has been a year of some great film-related surprises, but nothing has compared to the revelation that the finest Spider-Man film was not made by Sam Raimi, Marc Webb or even by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but by a group of scrappy young animators who brought a certain breath of fresh air to a character that has endured for years, albeit with the same exact structure that we have come to expect. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an astonishing film – and not only is this quite possibly the finest cinematic portrayal of the Spider-Man lore, but it also sets a new standard – not merely for comic book films, but for animation in general. It has been quite a twist to find out that this is a pretty great film, but without much hesitation, I can say that I adored Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse tremendously.

Peter Parker, an orphan living with his aunt and uncle, is bitten by a radioactive spider and becomes the aptly-named Spider-Man who acquires a very particular set of skills, and becomes New York’s most important vigilante, the city’s main protector and the keeper of order in an otherwise chaotic landscape, populated by rogues and rapscallions who intend to bring their own selfish ambitions to the fore, not caring who is hurt in the path – humanity is just collateral damage to these villains. This is the exact same story we have come to associate with Spider-Man, and we’ve been witness to the same retelling countless times. We can’t even escape it here in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – the difference is, this film doesn’t try and reinvent this taut story, nor does it try and change it in any way – it keeps it exactly intact, but takes it in a different direction, mainly by focusing not on Peter Parker, but on an entirely different character altogether, Miles Morales, the half-black, half-Hispanic teenager who finds himself drawn into the web of Spider-Man after his own painful encounter with an abnormal arachnid. But it doesn’t stop there – the antics of a malicious villain brings our protagonist into contact with numerous other versions of Spider-Man, all from alternate dimensions. Suddenly, half a dozen Spider-People are traversing New York City, trying to find their way home, while still saving the day from an antagonist with the same disregard for humanity we expect from a Marvel villain. Inter-dimensional encounters, intense scientific activities and some impressive forays into surrealist storytelling all work together in the story of one young man and his extraordinary adventure into the Spider-Verse.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse deserves so much praise – and from the outset, one of the main successes of this film is not only the fact that it has an audacious, fascinating concept that is far more intricate than we normally see in a Spider-Man film but because it executes it so beautifully. It is certainly one thing for a superhero film to try something new and experimental – and it is always a welcome surprise when these often inconsequential works actually put some effort in rather than relying on the same predictable storyline – but very few fully succeed. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is one that is a resounding success, and its concept is explored in a way that is cerebral but not convoluted. In essence, the main underlying message flowing throughout Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is that of “we’ve seen enough of Peter Parker – how about if there were five other versions of the same character?” – it is something the more notable Spider-Man films wouldn’t dare to do, because the story itself is absurd enough as it is, but if there is something that isn’t of much concern here, its logic – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse proudly dismisses reason and instead opts for gloriously reckless anarchy, and it is, quite frankly, wonderful. There has been an abundance of serious, dour Spider-Man films – it was high time the world was gifted with something that is nothing more than unhinged fun, and this was certainly it – but it didn’t ignore the emotional resonance at the core, and where Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse finds its strengths is in how it balances the serious and the comical to craft a truly poignant and memorable film.

This film is a reinvention of the Spider-Man universe, and we are introduced to a blend of new and familiar characters, and abandoning any connection to previous works, we are given an entirely new cast – and considering Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an animated film, it managed to attract a high-calibre of performer into the fray. Shameik Moore, a rising star best known for his spirited turn in Dope a few years ago, plays the central role of Miles Morales, and he was exceptional in the role, conveying so much emotional range even through just the use of his voice. The same can be said for Jake Johnson’s portrayal of Peter Parker, who is no longer the scrappy young go-getter we know, but a gruff, grizzled and far more cynical version of himself – and the strength of Johnson’s performance is not that this is an entirely new representation of a familiar character, but because beneath the rough and aged version of the character, we can still see traces of the same idealistic, ambitious young superhero that we remember. We are also treated to some great voice performances from the other actors playing versions of Spider-Man, including the astonishingly talented Hailee Steinfeld, the hilarious John Mulaney and the incomparable Nicolas Cage, all of which lend their talents to a great ensemble. Smaller roles by the likes of Brian Tyree Henry (who is having quite a banner year), Lily Tomlin, Kathryn Hahn (as a gender-swapped Doc Ock, a monumental risk, but one that worked out perfectly in the end), and Liev Schreiber, amongst others, contributes to the general feeling that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse wasn’t merely about the story, but also about the importance of character development – a superhero film is all too often preoccupied with action and plot progression, so the characters get lost in the shuffle. The fact that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a star-studded affair isn’t impressive on its own, but rather the fact that we have a great ensemble, and the film utilizes it exceptionally well, which makes a great difference in a genre that doesn’t always prioritize the individuals contained within it.

I have a difficult relationship with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and with superhero films in general – I can unabashedly adore them and heap endless praise on some of them, although this eventually reveals itself to be nothing more than just endorphin-influenced enthusiasm. I can also openly despise them, and I have explicitly stated my disdain for countless superhero films which I feel are as lifeless as the pivotal character slain at some point that motivates our protagonist to become the usually-eponymous superhero. I can even admit that something that these films, including some of the best, lack is quite simple, but still imperative for the film-watching experience – heart. This is where Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse comes in – it has more heart and soul than anything Marvel has done cinematically in the last three years. We have seen some tremendously-entertaining films come out of the studio – Thor: Ragnarok, Doctor Strange and Guardians of the Galaxy were unquestionably fun films, not to mention the epic scope of Avengers: Infinity War and the cultural impact of Black Panther. Yet, these films had enormous budgets, an abundance of publicity and enough anticipation from the general public to make them instant successes, which masks the unfortunate fact that these films are not as good as we are led to believe. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is the sole exception – it is an underdog of a superhero film, one that trades in the qualities that made the other films such financial (and in many cases, critical) successes, but still manages to be a brilliant film on its own humble terms – it is funny, endearing and thrilling, and when these qualities are combined with the fact that the filmmakers made sure to imbue this film with an abundance of meaningful soul, and genuine emotion, we have nothing short of a lasting masterwork that stands as one of the genre’s most outstanding achievements.

There are a number of reasons why Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a masterpiece – but this isn’t a film that lends itself to verbosity, so let’s break it down explicitly – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a film that remains an outlier in a cinematic landscape that has become far too rabid in its obsession with superhero movies. It has a stellar cast that is as talented as it is star-studded and some tremendous character development. The story is unique and original, but also effortlessly straightforward and extremely simple to the point that this film could not have been convoluted if it tried. It has some extraordinary animation, some of the best ever put on film – and it progresses into something akin to a joyful acid trip by the end of the film. More than anything else, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a meaningful film, and it has the most pivotal quality that most of its fellow comic book adaptations lack – genuine heart and authentic soul. It has a lot of wonderful humour and a truly poignant emotional core that makes this one of the year’s most oddly engaging cinematic experiences. This is really a tremendous film, and I adore it wholeheartedly. It is a film for everyone, and whether one is a devotee to the world of superheroes, or disillusioned with the genre, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse will certainly prove to be something very special. It has its heart in the right place, and the talent to execute it perfectly, and that means more than anything else we’ve seen from this taut sub-genre that was in dire need of reinvention – and that was undoubtedly Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.