A gloriously exuberant superhero action film that effused with chaotic energy, crackling comedy and some heartfelt tenderness. The animation was thrilling and exciting, with each spider-verse innovatively designed to be distinctive yet identifiable. This was one animated film where the animation itself was a crucial driving engine propelling the narrative and the vibes of the film, so kudos to the directors - all three of them. Their vision truly brought out the comic-book aesthetics and unstoppable page-turning quality that reminded us of a really good graphic novel/comic; that and also Daniel Pemberton’s heart-thumping score which really accelerated the fight sequences/large action set pieces.
The story itself was simple enough, now that the multiverse has lost its novelty, with the twists as expected as they were. The film could have been a bit tighter and did less fan service. It was a Marvel/MCU Easter eggs galore that although entertaining and tongue-in-cheek, did make the film 15-20 minutes longer than it needed to be.
What really worked was Gwen Stacy, and by extension Hailee Steinfeld, as the co-lead. Steinfeld’s voice work was on point and carried the necessary emotionally pathos and drama. Other standouts included Jake Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Karan Soni, Daniel Kaluuya , Issa Rae and Oscar Isaac.
Shameik Moore as Miles Morales got the wisecracking banter and patter down, but he somehow lacked the vocal gravitas and depth to emote the necessary drama that the second and third act required.
And like almost all MCU films, our primary villain lacked dimensions and character. His motivations are as nebulous as his animation, and his development was equally flat. Hopefully the third entry can remedy that.
Yes, the film ended on a cliffhanger. Even at 140 minutes long, there was no conclusion which seemed to frustrate most of my audience who possibly did not know that beforehand. However, it did build up expectations for the finale, both to its detriment - if it falls short - or to its unparalleled success - if it exceeds. And hopefully with its track record thus far, this might turn out to be the best Spider-Man trilogy of them all.
Watching it on IMAX was brilliant and there were no stingers at the end.
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