Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Brandon Sanderson’s take (film review).

Let’s swing into the wild web of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, with our film-reviewing fantasy author Brandon Sanderson in the hot chair. This flick was a 2023 animated extravaganza where “too many Spider-People” is just not a thing. Sequel to the 2018 hit Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, this film cranks the multiverse dial up to eleven and breaks it off.

Directed by the trio of Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, with a screenplay by Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and David Callaham, this film is like a comic book that drank too much espresso. The voice cast? A veritable who’s who of Hollywood: Shameik Moore’s Miles Morales swings back into action, with Hailee Steinfeld’s Gwen Stacy (Spider-Woman) by his side, and a whole party bus of Spider-People, including Oscar Isaac’s brooding Miguel O’Hara (Spider-Man 2099).

Plot twist: Miles goes on a multiversal field trip with Gwen, only to stumble into a Spider-Society led by Miguel. Just your typical teenage angst, but with more spandex and interdimensional crises. They face off against the Spot, who’s like if your local graffiti artist got superpowers and a bad attitude.

Developed by Sony, who decided one universe just wasn’t enough, this film visits six universes, each with its unique visual style. It’s like flipping through TV channels but every channel is a different reality.

Released on June 2, 2023, after a pandemic-induced delay, this film smashed box office records, grossing a whopping $690.5 million worldwide. It’s like audiences couldn’t resist the siren call of animated superhero shenanigans.

Critics mostly loved it. Think The Dark Knight meets The Empire Strikes Back, but with more jokes and fewer daddy issues. RogerEbert.com gave it a perfect score, while The Washington Post and The Chicago Sun-Times praised its inventive animation and boundless energy.

However, not everyone was head over heels. Some found the plot a bit like a spider-web – complex and sticky, with The Wall Street Journal calling it “visually hypercaffeinated” but slow in parts. The Age thought it was both adventurous and a tad too safe.

But let’s not forget, this isn’t just a movie; it’s a multiverse-hopping, web-slinging, dimension-defying party. With 280 variations of Spider-Man, including 95 unique and named characters, it’s like a Spider-Man family reunion where everyone’s wearing the same outfit. And the best part? There’s more to come. Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse and Spider-Woman are in the pipeline. Because when it comes to Spider-People, the more, the merrier. So, grab your web-shooters and join the swingin’ fun in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Just remember, in the multiverse, every day is leg day.