The Mala Noche Recommends: “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”
Written by: Miguel Torrellas
I want more films like this one, and I think we need more films like this one.
If we had to pinpoint the year that comic book adaptations truly changed, a moderately good guess could be that it was 2008. Christopher Nolan released the beloved “The Dark Knight” and proved that a realistic and gritty representation of a comic book hero could be both a critical and commercial success, an approach that to this day still remains unmatched. Together with this, Marvel’s hit “Iron Man” post-credit scene teased the arrival of “The Avengers” five years later, an equally monumental shift for its scope and execution.
It would wrong to say that nothing has changed in the past ten years. Marvel Studios itself perfected its movie/money-making machine. Films like “Guardians of the Galaxy” effectively combined a blend of action and humor, which is more often a miss than a hit. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” provided some maturity to its generally light-hearted cinematic universe. “Avengers: Infinity War” built upon its predecessor promise of one big rumble and “Black Panther” gave a much-needed move towards diversity and a vision of Afrofuturism that had never been seen in a blockbuster. It even appears that after some major flops, DC Comics finally found its footing with the releases of “Wonder Woman” and “Aquaman.”
Nonetheless, it had been a while since I felt something uniquely different had been done with a comic book adaptation. The stories were feeling repetitive and while they were usually entertaining, they were never anything too exciting. It appeared as if this kind of productions were beginning to plateau. And amidst this uninteresting stage, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” feels like a jump-start into new possibilities.
Partly written and produced by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the dynamic duo that gave us both “Jump Street” films and the modern animation classic that is “The Lego Movie,” the story carries a frenetic pace and, much like the latter, a willingness to throw everything and the kitchen sink into the frame. Ultimately resulting in a tale that focuses on Miles Morales, an incarnation of the classic Marvel hero from a universe similar to ours, but features alternative versions of the character from multiple realms, each with their own design and style.
What enhances this uncommonly rich story is the work from the people at Sony Pictures Animation, where a group of over 140 artists crafted a look for the film that merges Computer Generated Images with the distinct dynamics of hand-drawn work, creating a genuine bridge between comics and movies that highlights the capacities of both mediums. It is a joy to watch such a lovingly made production that so deservingly establishes the animated movie as the best space for a “Spider-Man” story, showcasing the kinetic nature of the hero to its full potential.
Fans of all ages will encounter a script both smart and contemporary that cleverly remixes the themes of duality and responsibility traditionally embedded in the character with new ideas of what it means to wear the mask. When the subjects of heroism and sacrifice seem worn-out and weary after over a decade of adaptations, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” manages to extract a meaningful message that rings true. All of this while throwing in more than a few thrilling action sequences.
The comic book medium has been able to use the same characters in different stories for decades all because of their ability and eagerness to tell original and strange adventures. It is the forward-thinking path that this kind of films should follow, and it’s the one worth supporting. Without looking backward, it is impossible to determine what is or will be an influential movie, but for the sake of all the future blockbusters, I definitely hope “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” is one of those.