This year has been huge for Spider-Man fans. Everything from Infinity War to Venom to the game on PS4, the neighborhood friendly superhero has gotten plenty of screen time in 2018. With that being said, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse trumps all of those and stands as perhaps the best Spider-Man movie to date.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse follows Miles Morales, a teenager living in New York who gets bitten by the famous radioactive spider. After a dimensional collider brings other spider-people from other universes, Miles along with his band of Spider-Men must try to shut down the collider before it destroys reality itself. Despite how many heroes have to share the screen together, Miles is undeniably the best one. His story arc is not anything new for superhero movies but it works because of the film’s core idea. With so many other heroes like Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen, Miles’ story is less about becoming a hero and more about how he should be his own hero. The other cast of characters also feel brilliantly realized and developed without taking the draw away from Miles himself. There are plenty of scenes that are fanatics and gave me goosebumps because of how great the characterization is. Despite being another Spider-Man origin story, Into the Spider-Verse is able to put its own spin on the classic story of Peter Parker.

It also does hurt that Into the Spider-Verse is a visual marvel. The animation style feels reminiscent of claymation and stop-motion while also matching the comic book aesthetic. There are many animation styles and visuals that blend together to create this bizarre yet gorgeous film. The anime drawing for Peni Parker is able to join the overly cartoony Spider-Ham without feeling out of place. The movie is also shot brilliantly as well. There are some truly stunning imagery and visual motifs that have stayed with me days after I saw them in the theatre. The action sequences are especially jaw-dropping and incredible because of how creatively they let each Spider-Man use his powers in his own unique ways.

The combination of the wonderful comic book aesthetic and the fun twist on the typical Spider-Man tale, Into the Spider-Verse ends up being the most refreshing and enjoyable movie that is unlike anything Marvel has produced in the past decade. Any gripes I have with this film are mostly nitpicks. Even for those who experience some superhero fatigue, I highly encourage you not to let this movie pass you by. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an amazing film and I can confidently say that it is one of, if not the best Spider-Man movie to be made.

Score: 9.5/10