SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE (2018) ***

Spider-Man:  Into the Spider-Verse is a feast for the eyes.  The vibrant animation is nothing short of dazzling.  The inventive use of color, comic book panels, and word bubbles makes the film feel like a living, breathing comic book.  Some sequences harken back to the days of ‘60s psychedelia, while others carry the flavor of pop art kitsch of the ‘70s.  

The trade-off is that the plot, characters, and action don’t quite measure up to the film’s ambitious style.  I guess that shouldn’t be surprising that the rest of the moving parts are busy playing catch-up with a movie that looks this great.  Still, it’s excusable, mostly because it’s so much fun.

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is a teenager who gets bitten by a radioactive spider.  Thanks to a cataclysmic event, there is a rift in the universe and his world is invaded by Spider-Men from various alternate realities.  Among them:  Peter B. Parker (Jake Johnson), a down and out, slightly older and overweight Spider-Man.  Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), a ‘40s style detective Spider-Man.  Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld), a girl power version of Spider-Man played by his original true love.  By far my favorite is Spider-Ham (John Mulaney), a cartoon pig who practically steals every scene he’s in. 

Despite the eye-popping visual style and the wonderful, colorful, and funny Spider-Man variations, the villains are woefully lackluster.  The design on some of them (especially Kingpin) are flat-out terrible.  The movie goes out of its way to stress that this takes place in an alternate universe, as if to let itself off the hook for some of its odd embellishments.  (The dragon-like Green Goblin is just plain stupid.)  However, I can’t help but think the film would’ve been better if it had one finely drawn (in both senses of the word) villain.

Another stumbling block is that Miles just isn’t as compelling a character as Peter Parker.  I mean when Peter got bit by the radioactive spider, it was during a trip to a science lab.  Miles gets bit while spray-painting graffiti.  It just doesn’t have the same pull.  I did however like the twist on the typical Uncle Ben character.

That’s sort of the point though.  Miles is in over his head and needs help from the other Spider-Persons (and Pigs) to save the day.  By the end of the movie, he’s ready for his own solo adventure, but getting there is sort of rocky.  

Spider-Man’s motto has always been, “With great power comes great responsibility”.  Miles’ motto is “Anyone can wear the mask.”  Again, it doesn’t have the same ring to it, but there’s enough of that old Spider-Man charm to go along with the new flavor to make it work.  It must be said, the whole “it takes a village” motif of the heroes banding together was played out much better in The LEGO Batman Movie.

Johnson makes for a great Spider-Man.  I can’t help but think he would’ve made a great live-action Spider-Man.  Same goes for Cage as the wily private eye Spidey inspired by Humphrey Bogart.  The movie really belongs to Mulaney.  Spider-Ham needs his own solo series like yesterday.  Also, be sure to stay after the credits because if THAT is where they’re going with the sequel, then we’re in store for something truly special in a few years’ time.  (I don’t want to spoil anything.  All I’ll say is THAT guy playing THAT guy is perfect casting.)

Speaking of casting, having Lily Tomlin play Aunt May was another sheer delight.  Why didn’t anyone think to cast her as Aunt May sooner?  She’s absolutely perfect and should’ve been playing the role since day one.

Oh yeah, and this is the first Marvel movie with a Stan Lee cameo after his passing and… yeah… it kinda got to me.

Spider-Ham gets the best line of the movie when he says, “I frolic.  I dance.  I do this in my pants!”