Spider-Verse delivers heartfelt story

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Credit: Sony Picture Animation

The animated superhero film stars Shameik Moore as Miles Morales and Jake Johnson as Spider-man.

Kathleen Carpio, Student Life Reporter

If you’re someone who pays attention to pop-culture, chances are you can recount the origin story of Spider-Man pretty easily.

 

It’s a modern-day classic tale. Boy gets bitten by radioactive spider. Boy discovers he has powers after being bitten by the spider. Boy saves New York City from a monstrous villain. Boy then becomes a hero known to the world as Spider-Man. So far the world has seen three generations of Spider-Man. Were people ready to see yet another generation of said hero?

 

The film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse spins the tale a little differently. This time there are two Spider-Men? It tells of the coming of age experience of Miles Morales, a teen from Brooklyn who gets bitten by, yes, a spider. However, upon discovering his powers, he runs into the original Spider-Man and the alternate dimensions that threaten to take over New York.

 

Miles, who is new to these recently discovered powers, soon mentors under him. However here’s another twist: they’re not the only ones out there with their own origin story to tell. More could be said but that would just be spoilers, wouldn’t it?

 

The film is filled with smooth CGI action sequences. Miles is voiced by Shameik Moore who does a brilliant job of bringing Miles’ personality and humor on-screen. Peter Parker is voiced by none other than New Girl’s Jake Johnson, who captures Peter’s dry wit and mid-life crisis lifestyle beautifully.

 

Now, was Peter said to have a mid-life crisis in this movie? Yes, and he also happens to wear sweatpants under the spider-suit. It sounds weird but admit it, you’re a little intrigued now aren’t you? This student-mentor relationship somehow works between Peter and Miles. What one lacks the other gives.

 

Peter is no perfect hero in this movie, and that’s what makes this movie great on top of all the kick-ass action sequences. He’s not the perfect all-American guy under the mask. Peter is depicted as a man who’s made mistakes in his own life and yet through it all he still puts on the mask.

 

Miles, through all this action,  goes through great character development in choosing to don the mask and suit. He’s a young adult who doesn’t meet the expectations around him but instead chooses to defy his own. It’s a refreshing take on the great expectations that are usually thrown upon heroes.

 

The focus is on the journey of how Miles chooses to become a hero and it just helps to appreciate the story that is Spider-Man. Who, let’s admit it, also looks cool wearing an ultra-vamped spider-suit. The soundtrack is dope. When you got tracks made by Lil Wayne, DJ Khalil and Post Malone you know you have to check out what all the noise is about.

 

So, were people ready to see yet another generation of Spider-Man? Who knows? The answer doesn’t matter. It’s just a really, really good movie. Seriously, go watch this film.