When it comes to 'super hero' movies and the 'super hero' genre in general, I'm not necessarily that big of a fan. Even though I try to check the latest films in the genre at some point, I don't usually get too excited about most of these movies that get released.
The only real exception to this rule has been Marvel's 'Spider-Man' movies. Especially when it comes to the first Sam Raimi films, I ended up liking them quite a bit (the first two movies, not the third one or the abysmal reboots).
So when I noticed that there was a new Spider-Man film ('Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse') out there, there was a kind of a reason for me to be excited. I had liked the character before and the critics had given the film solid reviews too.
Yet, the biggest reason that I was sceptical about the movie was because lately the franchise had gone completely south. The rebooted films with Andrew Garfield had been atrocious and were nothing more than cynical cash grabs.
Furthermore, it didn't help that the trailer for the film didn't seem to be that good. The animation style for 'Into the Spider-Verse' looked rather weird and I didn't get why there where so many different 'Spider-Man' protagonists in the film either.
Nevertheless, having now seen the film with my friend last week, it has to be said that I'm glad that we gave it a chance. 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' turned out to be much better than what I had thought based on its rather messy and unfocused trailer.
One of the reasons that the movie works so well (unlike the reboots and like the first ones) is that it has a likable and a down to earth approach. The characters in it are relatable and you can't help but to feel at ease while watching them.
The good thing about the movie is that right from the get go it makes you care about the protagonist(s). The African-American student kid who becomes our main hero (gets bitten by a robotic spider) is shown in situations that will you make you care (struggles and all).
When it comes to the film's story and its multiple protagonists, the appearance of so many Spider-Man protagonists didn't seem plausible at first. Based on the film's confusing trailer, I just didn't understand what the point really was there.
Thankfully, this character/story vehicle is actually explained rather well in the movie and makes sense within the film's universe. They're in the same world, because the villain of the movie (Kingpin) has brought them together with his parallel universe machine.
So not surprisingly, over the course of the film, the main objective of the characters (that even includes a pig called Spider-Ham) is to get things back to normal. They do their best so that the world wouldn't end and that they would get back to their normal worlds.
This, of course, is easier said than done and requires the characters to work together. They have to give their best so that they could beat the bad guys in the film, which eventually leads to them learning more about themselves and their responsibilities as heroes.
So in hindsight, when I think of the movie as a whole, I have to say that the film was a positive surprise for me. I didn't really expect that there would be as many positive aspects to it and that it would put me on a good mood (with some minor exceptions).
After all, among other things, 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' has a solid story and is also surprisingly funny. It has tons of jokes and background stuff (like the Seth Rogen 'Hold Your Horses') that you can pick up later if you give the film a second viewing.
The only real problem with film was that it was a bit too long and that it didn't always manage keep my attention. There were so many quick cuts and flashy action scenes in it that - at least in my case - it was a bit too exhausting to watch the movie.
Still, even though there were some minor problems with 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', these minor flaws didn't matter that much in the end. It's clear that the positive aspects of in the story outweighed some of the minor negative aspects in it.
In that sense, if you're one of those that liked the first two Sam Raimi 'Spider-Man' films, it's likely that 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' might be for you. It's more than likely that you'll end up enjoying it quite a bit like I did.
After all, even though the trailer for the film wasn't that good, the movie actually is. The movie is solid and shows that just because the franchise hasn't been doing well lately, all is not lost and that there's still hope for our beloved Spidey in today's cynical world.
Yet, the biggest reason that I was sceptical about the movie was because lately the franchise had gone completely south. The rebooted films with Andrew Garfield had been atrocious and were nothing more than cynical cash grabs.
Furthermore, it didn't help that the trailer for the film didn't seem to be that good. The animation style for 'Into the Spider-Verse' looked rather weird and I didn't get why there where so many different 'Spider-Man' protagonists in the film either.
Nevertheless, having now seen the film with my friend last week, it has to be said that I'm glad that we gave it a chance. 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' turned out to be much better than what I had thought based on its rather messy and unfocused trailer.
One of the reasons that the movie works so well (unlike the reboots and like the first ones) is that it has a likable and a down to earth approach. The characters in it are relatable and you can't help but to feel at ease while watching them.
The good thing about the movie is that right from the get go it makes you care about the protagonist(s). The African-American student kid who becomes our main hero (gets bitten by a robotic spider) is shown in situations that will you make you care (struggles and all).
When it comes to the film's story and its multiple protagonists, the appearance of so many Spider-Man protagonists didn't seem plausible at first. Based on the film's confusing trailer, I just didn't understand what the point really was there.
Thankfully, this character/story vehicle is actually explained rather well in the movie and makes sense within the film's universe. They're in the same world, because the villain of the movie (Kingpin) has brought them together with his parallel universe machine.
So not surprisingly, over the course of the film, the main objective of the characters (that even includes a pig called Spider-Ham) is to get things back to normal. They do their best so that the world wouldn't end and that they would get back to their normal worlds.
This, of course, is easier said than done and requires the characters to work together. They have to give their best so that they could beat the bad guys in the film, which eventually leads to them learning more about themselves and their responsibilities as heroes.
So in hindsight, when I think of the movie as a whole, I have to say that the film was a positive surprise for me. I didn't really expect that there would be as many positive aspects to it and that it would put me on a good mood (with some minor exceptions).
After all, among other things, 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' has a solid story and is also surprisingly funny. It has tons of jokes and background stuff (like the Seth Rogen 'Hold Your Horses') that you can pick up later if you give the film a second viewing.
The only real problem with film was that it was a bit too long and that it didn't always manage keep my attention. There were so many quick cuts and flashy action scenes in it that - at least in my case - it was a bit too exhausting to watch the movie.
Still, even though there were some minor problems with 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse', these minor flaws didn't matter that much in the end. It's clear that the positive aspects of in the story outweighed some of the minor negative aspects in it.
In that sense, if you're one of those that liked the first two Sam Raimi 'Spider-Man' films, it's likely that 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' might be for you. It's more than likely that you'll end up enjoying it quite a bit like I did.
After all, even though the trailer for the film wasn't that good, the movie actually is. The movie is solid and shows that just because the franchise hasn't been doing well lately, all is not lost and that there's still hope for our beloved Spidey in today's cynical world.
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