review

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Review

Movies
Spiderman into the spiderverse movie poster
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man is arguably one of the most beloved superhero characters of all-time, a fact that is reflected in the vast amount of movies centered around the character. With many adaptations already existing, including a current series of live-action Spider-Man films, standing apart from those other Spider-Man movies is a challenge. However, it is a challenge that Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse handles beautifully.

In this review, I have several different criteria used to judge the movie. Each category will also be given an individual rating in addition to the overall rating of the movie. The criteria includes characters/character development, plot/story, pacing, animation, and dialogue. So without further ado, let’s get into it!

Rating

Plot/Story

9

Characters

7

Pacing

9

Animation

10

Dialogue

8

Overall

8.5

Plot and Story

Trailer for “Spider-Man: Into the Spider- Verse”

Into the Spider-Verse is not the same Spider-Man story we’ve heard a thousand times. Or at least, it is the same story just with a twist or two. The movie introduces the idea of a multiverse, in which several universes exist with different versions of Spider-Man. These versions include the Peter Parker we all know and love, as well as a kid named Miles Morales as the newest Spider-Man and the main character of the movie. When the villain of the story, Kingpin, opens a portal to these other universes, several different Spider-People cross over into Miles’ universe, and they must work together to return to their own universes and destroy Kingpin’s machine.

The use of the multiverse takes a story we’ve heard a thousand times and breathes new life into it, even poking fun at the fact that the original story has been told so many times. It is wildly entertaining to see all of the versions of Spider-Man that have existed, as well as to see Miles learn to become Spider-Man himself. However, the actual plot of Kingpin as the bad guy and destroying his machine as the end goal kinda gets lost (or at least overshadowed) by the multiverse storyline. The overall story though feels fresh and exiting even amidst the other Spider-Man stories that have been told.

Characters

Different versions of Spider-Man that appear in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.
Characters in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Most of the characters in the movie are the different versions of Spider-Man, including a female version, an anime style girl with a robot, a film-noir Spider-Man that fights Nazis and is voiced by Nicholas Cage, and a pig named Spider-Ham that is voiced by John Mulaney. Of course, the real highlights are Miles Morales, the newest Spider-Man, and a jaded Peter Parker as his mentor.

The characters are each hilarious, unique, and fun, but (with the exception of Miles and Peter Parker) not developed much or even really seen for that matter. The relationship between Miles and Peter is amazing, and many of the characters get their moments to shine (like Miles’ dad and uncle), but the other Spider-People are not as well-developed as they could be. With that being said though, I do also want to mention the representation in the movie, which features a Hispanic and African American main character and a wide array of badass female characters.

Pacing

The pacing of the movie is overall really strong. It is exciting and fast paced, with great action sequences, some good plot twists, and witty dialogue between the characters. However, because the overall plot of Kingpin and his machine isn’t quite as exciting to me as the multiverse stuff, the movie doesn’t feel like it’s building up to anything too crazy or exciting, which kinda slows down the pacing a bit (don’t get me wrong though, I do enjoy the overall plot, it just isn’t a main standout for me).

spider man into the spider verse soundtrack cover
Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack

One more thing to mention about the pacing is the soundtrack of the movie. I know that music isn’t necessarily an aspect of pacing, but it can make a big difference in the feel of a scene and the tone of the movie overall, impacting how the pacing of the scenes seem as well. The soundtrack for the movie is incredible, with each song perfectly expressing the mood, feeling, and of course the pacing of each scene. The songs help to make the movie more exciting and enjoyable overall, and also helps to establish Miles’ character even further.

Animation

The animation is so stunning and unique in Into the Spider-Verse. It mixes different styles of animation but somehow makes them blend together seamlessly. Each person in the movie looks completely different, even the background characters, which can be a rare thing to see in animated movies. Even the colors used seem different than what you usually see. The whole film is a work of art, and it is truly some of the best animation I’ve seen. If you’re an animation geek like I am, you need to watch the movie just to appreciate the art.

spider-man in into the spider-verse
miles morales and peter parker in into the spider-verse
Miles morales leap of faith in into the spider verse

Dialogue

Balancing humor, genuinely good life advice, and touching sentiments, the dialogue is one of the stronger parts of Into the Spider-Verse. The relationships between Miles and some of the other characters, like his dad, uncle, and Peter Parker, are well developed and realistic due to the strong rapport between the characters.

My only complaint with the dialogue is that the more minor characters often have little dialogue at all, preventing them from being fully developed. This is especially upsetting with the characters voiced by Nick Cage and John Mulaney, which had the potential to be even more hilarious and memorable had they actually had more to say. So while the dialogue is pretty strong between the main characters, the dialogue with minor characters is more of a missed opportunity in many cases.

Peter B. Parker’s introduction – a good example of the dialogue in the movie

Conclusion

Overall, Into the Spider-Verse is an amazing movie, and definitely one I would recommend watching. Even if you’re sick of Spider-Man movies, or just superhero movies in general, this movie’s uniqueness makes it a refreshing change. While the some of the characters and dialogue represent a missed opportunity, everything else – from the animation, to the idea of the multiverse, the pacing, and even the soundtrack – is absolutely wonderful.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is available to watch on Netflix, and if you have a Netflix account, I would definitely say it is a must watch. In fact, I would say it’s a must watch for just about anyone, appealing to superhero fans, animation fans, and everyone in between. Have you seen Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse? Let me know what you thought of it in the comments below! And make sure to subscribe to be notified of my new posts!

Review of Avatar: the Last Airbender

Reviews, TV Shows
Aang in Avatar the Last Airbender
Avatar Aang in Avatar: the Last Airbender

Writing a review of Avatar: the Last Airbender is extremely easy for me. I’ll go ahead and tell you now, I give it 6 stars out of 5, an A++, 110%, and whatever other ways would allow me to express my love for ATLA. Growing up, it was one of my favorite shows, and even over 10 years later, it still remains one of the best shows I’ve seen (I’ve actually seen it about 5 or 6 times now). In today’s post, I’ll be reviewing and explaining why Avatar the Last Airbender is an amazing show, and why I think everyone should watch it!

Criteria

My criteria for evaluating the show includes how likable the characters are and their development/character arcs, how original, entertaining, and cohesive the overall plot and story are, the quality of dialogue, including emotional or humorous moments in the show, and the overall pacing of each episode, season, and the series as whole.

Below, I have my ratings on a scale from 1 to 10 (with 10 being the highest) for each individual category, as well as for the show as a whole.

Story/Plot:9

Characters: 10

Dialogue: 8

Pacing: 8

Show: 10

Story and Plot

With an imaginative and expansive world, well-developed lore, and a unique concept, the story of Avatar: the Last Airbender is truly one of the best. Rather than explaining the story to you myself, I’ve instead decided to let the show itself tell you. The intro perfectly sets up the show and gives an insight into the world and characters as an added bonus.

Intro to Avatar: the Last Airbender

While the show’s story and concept as a whole are amazing, the plot of each season and each individual episode are just as strong. Each season builds upon the one before, with evolving character arcs and relationships, an increasingly mature tone, and an exciting overarching plot that drives the plot of each episode. However, some individual episodes are perhaps not as strong as the others, either by not advancing the plot or characters much, or by generally lacking the same level of emotional punch packed into the other episodes. That being said, every episode is thoroughly enjoyable and still worth watching.

Characters

Team avatar in avatar the last airbender
Aang, Sokka, Toph, and Katara (Team Avatar)

The characters in ATLA are easily the highlight for me. Each one is funny, endearing, and entirely lovable, while also each being entirely unique. The characters grow and mature over the course of the three seasons, with truly some of the best written character arcs in any show. Each of the characters have well-developed and changing relationships with the other characters they interact with, making the characters and the show as a whole feel authentic and believable.

As the seasons go on, the characters and their relationships evolve with the plot. Avatar is a children’s show (and the first season especially reflects this), but as the characters grow up over the course of the show, so too does the overall tone of the story. While the main characters are very young and certainly appeal to a younger audience, they usually come off as endearing rather than annoying, a rare thing for many kid’s shows. If I had to pick a favorite character, I honestly would have trouble deciding between them.

Dialogue

Avatar’s dialogue is generally fantastic, perfectly complementing the amazing characters. The writing is funny, energetic, thoughtful, introspective, witty, and at times deeply moving and inspiring. However, when deciding what to say about the dialogue, I struggled to be objective and put my personal feelings towards the show aside.

Avatar: the Last Airbender quote

Even though I do truly feel like the dialogue is great, I do feel it is necessary to point out the fact that it is ultimately a kid’s show. While not afraid to explore deep topics such as the loss of loved ones, some of the jokes are definitely geared towards kids. I personally still find it funny and enjoyable, but some people may find some of the dialogue to be tedious or juvenile.

Overall, the dialogue is still a large part of what makes the show so great. Each character has their own unique voice and sense of humor, and the different personalities perfectly play off each other. Click here to see just a few of the most iconic lines from the show!

Pacing

The pacing of Avatar is overall fantastic (are you sensing a common theme yet?), with plenty of great exciting moments, action sequences, and emotional scenes. However, there are some aspects that do lower my overall score for pacing.

First, while I appreciate that the show grows and matures over the three seasons, this means that the first season seems a lot slower and less exciting in comparison to the others. Also, there are some filler episodes that don’t do too much to advance the plot or characters. While those filler episodes are often still entertaining, they do slow down the overall pacing a bit.

Avatar Review – Final Thoughts

characters in avatar the last airbender
Avatar: the Last Airbender

I’m not gonna lie, I do feel a little biased towards this show. I mean, the nostalgia alone is enough to make me want to rate Avatar a 10 out of 10. But even putting my bias aside and looking at the show objectively, it still holds up as an amazing show. If you weren’t already convinced, it even has a 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating and a 9.2/10 rating on IMDb.

Avatar is funny, heartwarming, exciting, beautiful, and so much more. It is probably my favorite show ever, and I know a lot of other people who feel the same. I cannot recommend this show highly enough.

Have you seen Avatar? What would you rate it? If you haven’t seen it yet, do you plan on watching it? Let me know in the comments below! And make sure to subscribe to Sweet and Petite to be notified of my new blog posts!