In Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse, we revisit Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), who is navigating the challenges of being Spider-man while longing for his friends from the events of Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse. The arrival of Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) from another universe sets off a new adventure with incredibly high stakes. The core tenets of a Spider-man’s existence are threatened; should these be altered, the ramifications could destroy the entire universe. This places Miles at odds with a multitude of Spider-people, forcing him to confront a dilemma of immense proportions.
As I mentioned in my review of Marvel’s Spider-man 2, Spider-man has been my favorite superhero since childhood. I recently rediscovered my favorite Spider-man cartoon from the early 80s on Disney+ and am thoroughly enjoying revisiting it. Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse resonated with me due to its capture of the essence of what I appreciate about Spider-man, particularly the human element. However, the film was not without its shortcomings, notably its excessive length.
Following the success of the first film, a sequel was inevitable. In Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse, the scope of the narrative has expanded significantly. Unfortunately, the runtime has also increased by over 20 minutes, contributing to a feeling of excessive length. Making matters more concerning, this film is only the first part of a two-part story…
The film concludes on a significant cliffhanger, which ultimately leaves the viewing experience feeling incomplete and somewhat disappointing. This structure is reminiscent of Fast X, which also felt like an extended advertisement for its successor.
Despite this, Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse is not without merit. It features several well-executed scenes and compelling action sequences. The humor is well-balanced and engaging, and the voice acting is exceptional.
The Ultra-HD presentation of the film on this UHD edition is also noteworthy. As an animated film, the source material translates exceptionally well to the disc format, resulting in outstanding sharpness. The diverse animation styles employed across the various universes are vividly realized. Color retention is excellent, with no noticeable bleeding, and the contrast between black and light is rendered optimally.
The Dolby Atmos sound design is a standout feature, delivering an incredibly well-balanced and immersive soundscape. A particular sequence involving Spider-man being pursued through a house by countless other Spider-people exemplifies the capabilities of Dolby Atmos with its seven speakers and subwoofer!
The disc is packed with supplemental content, including insightful documentaries and deleted scenes, as well as a commentary track.
In conclusion, while Spider-man: Across the Spider-Verse exhibits certain shortcomings, such as its excessive length and abrupt cliffhanger ending, it remains a largely entertaining film. The overall experience is enhanced by this UHD edition’s exceptional audio and video quality, coupled with a wealth of bonus features.
SF-Studios provided review copies for this evaluation. The provision of materials does not influence our editorial independence. Our reviews are conducted with the interests of readers and consumers as our foremost priority.
