Spider-Man animates his responsibilities

Sarah Kim

In the latest Spider-Man installment, Miles Morale discovers his spider senses.

Ronit Kumar, Sports Editor

The Golden Globe’s Best Animated Feature Film of 2018, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse,” glows with a well-driven plot as it takes a new spin on the beloved superhero Spider-Man.

Released on Dec. 14, 2018, the film follows the life of Miles Morale, the teenage protagonist who discovers his spider powers and transforms into Spider-Man. However, when he meets Peter Parker, another Spider-Man, he learns that many people possess the same powers as him. Morale realizes that he must use his powers for good, bringing him into conflict with the antagonist Kingpin, who, in seeking to connect other universes to his, inadvertently brings different versions of Spider-Man into the same world.

The movie’s most notable achievements include its top-quality animation and its main characters — including Morales, voiced by Shameik Moore; Peter Parker, voiced by Jake Johnson; the Spider-Woman, voiced by Hailee Steinfeld; Spider-Ham, voiced by John Mulaney; and the evil Kingpin, voiced by Leiv Schreiber. Following the action movie mold, scenes are packed with quick action, which typically causes motion blur. However, the pristine computer animation gives the motion a smoother feel while also producing a staccato (accents sharply detached from one another). Despite being the first animated Spider-Man movie, according to longtime fans, it is one of Marvel Studio’s best animated works.

“I liked that it brought back a nostalgic Spider-Ham. I actually have some comic books from when I was a little kid. It used to have Spider-Ham from the early ‘80s. I thought it was a good story in general,” DV teacher Robert Gendron said.

Between action sequences, the plot slows down to develop the characters, such as when Parker attempts to teach Morales how to control and effectively use his powers. The conversations between the two characters incorporates a great deal of comedy.

“I liked the quirks and jokes. I liked the animations. Everything was just really good,” DV sophomore Omkar Patil said.

However, at times, it seems like directors Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman drag the conversation too much. Despite the comedic aspect, viewers were eager to see the plot of the movie driven further.

“At a couple times, it was a little slow. Like I was just waiting for it to move forward. But otherwise, the action was great,” Gendron said.

In addition, the causes of some incidents should have been clarifed further. For example, the explanation of how Prowler, voiced by Mahershala Ali, came to existence could have been clarified better.

“Prowler could have used a little more development. I think he needed a bit more backstory since he is Miles’s family,” DV sophomore viewer Mustafa Hussain said.

Among the most popular scenes are those in which Morales begins to fully discover all of his powers. During these scenes, Morales fails many times, adding more humor to the movie while showcasing his character’s growth. In addition, Morale’s complex personality reveale many quirks, including his love for graffiti.

Many viewers greatly appreciate the post-credits scene. Besides the fan-service, new spider characters are also introduced, hinting at a sequel to this movie. Finally, the audience visits a short scene consisting of Parker.

The next Spider-Man movie, titled “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” will release on July 5, 2019. This movie will follow Spider-Man as he allies with Nick Fury to prevent antagonist Mysterio from destroying Europe.