If the first film interrogated who gets to be a hero, the second film takes that further to ask how heroism is defined. It’s a quiet sequence in a movie that’s often very loud and a reminder of the film’s stunning visual confidence, just as striking in its calm as its noise. It culminates with a series of shots high above the city as the pair sits upside down, the skyline inverted behind them. The first sequence of their reunion is an absolute marvel as the two characters swoop and swing through the city, flirting their way through the sky. Naturally, the emergence of The Spot gets the attention of the Spider-Society, which sends Gwen and company back into the life of Miles Morales. At first, it’s kind of cute how he tries to steal an ATM with a portal, but The Spot ends up being significantly more dangerous as his powers grow, opening passages that can destroy worlds. Jonathan Ohnn, the once-Alchemax-employee was forever altered by the first movie's action, able to control time and space through a series of portals. One day, an odd duck that Miles thinks is just a “villain of the week” pops up in the form of The Spot ( Jason Schwartzman). He’s considering telling his mother, Rio (Luna Lauren Vélez), and father, Jefferson ( Brian Tyree Henry), the truth, but worries what it could do to their relationship if he does. He’s in his version of Brooklyn, trying to balance being a good student with being a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. More than most superhero movies, it’s about empowerment instead of destiny. It’s about controlling your own fate more than giving into a scripted narrative of heroism. Superhero culture has used multiverse stories to expand on the concept of potential, but this film (and I hope these themes really land in its sequel) suggests that it’s way more important to hold onto the reality in your hands than imagine all of the other ones that might have been. So now what? This story's backbone is about pushing back against determinism and moving forward with what's in front of you. The Peter Parker of his universe died trying to save him, and the spider that bit Miles was never supposed to be there. Of course, fans will remember that Miles Morales ( Shameik Moore) is essentially one of those errors. When Gwen’s identity is blown with her dad, she joins the Spider-Crew, correcting the errors of multi-verse. They reveal to Gwen that they’re part of a secret Spider-Society that has been cleaning up inter-universe messes, capturing villains who end up in the wrong one and sending them home again. When an alternate version of the villainous Vulture ( Jorma Taccone) drops into her reality, the bad guy ends up trailed by the intense Spider-Man 2099 ( Oscar Isaac) and confident Spider-Woman ( Issa Rae). Gwen Stacy ( Hailee Steinfeld) is back in her universe, trying to keep her identity secret from her father, George ( Shea Whigham). “Across the Spider-Verse” opens just over a year after the action of the first movie. It is a smart, thrilling piece of work that reminded me of other great part twos like “ The Dark Knight” and “ The Empire Strikes Back.” Like those films, it leaves viewers anxiously anticipating the next chapter (which will come in March 2024), and it earns its cliffhangers by grounding them in a story of young people refusing to submit to a concept of what a hero’s arc needs to be. The first note I took after seeing it was “so much movie.” Like the work of a young artist who refuses to be restrained by the borders of the frame, “Across the Spider-Verse” is loaded with incredible imagery and fascinating ideas. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” explodes onto screens this week, building on the foundation of the masterful “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” with stunning animation, unforgettable characters, and complex themes. My esteemed colleague Christy Lemire opened her review of “ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” with a quote from her nine-year-old asking if he could see it again, so I think there’s some synergy in quoting my nine-year-old to open this one: “That might be the best movie I’ve ever seen.”
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