The original “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” was a completely unexpected but instant classic — and not just as far as superhero stories go. It has also become a classic piece of animated cinema, providing a perfect example of reinvigorated graying IPs. In an era of endless continuities, the film gave us something we had never seen. It’s hard to find a scene from the original that does not vibrantly pop with newfound energy.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” retains some of the charms of the original, especially during the first hour when the viewer’s attention is focused mainly on the character Spider-Gwen. In some ways, the film feels more like her movie than Miles’. She has a more significant character arc and experiences genuine resolution in her own subplot. Gwen keeps the Spider-Man IP fresh and interesting.
However, the last several years have been an awkward slide toward mediocrity for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The incredible heights of the “Infinity War” arc have given way to bland, boring, and bizarre.
Sam Raimi’s “Multiverse of Madness” was the first sign that something was amiss in Comic-Book Camelot. Raimi is a fantastic filmmaker, and while his “Doctor Strange” film was well made, it was an incoherent, tonal misstep. Then came Taika Waititi’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” which was thematically scattershot and humorously flat — paling in comparison to “Ragnarok.” This is not even to mention the whole scandal surrounding Jonathan Majors, who was supposed to be playing the next Thanos but
