

It can be dark and distressing, but lighthearted and amusing. The tone and pacing is very adult, even when something excessively goofy like Spider-Ham is on-screen. Nothing was forced, nothing felt out-of-place, nothing took me out of immersion. I've never had such a cool, yet off-beat and engaged feeling while watching an animated film on the big screen. Heck, the first third of the film is somewhat slow and nonchalant, almost like an arthouse film. The writing is very grounded and treats its audience like people who want to see a genuinely captivating flick. Passion and integrity was put into this project. Into the Spider-Verse is a welcome departure.

If you look at this company's past work, some of it is very soulless with its marketing and panders to its audience with incessant pop culture references and juvenile comedy. First of all, it's a Sony Animation product. Granted, I did notice some familiar elements that are done to death in superhero fiction and the animation canon alike, such as surprise villain reveals and major character deaths that were obviously seen coming, and I certainly wish some characters espeically Miles' uncle had more screentime, but there's one fact that overshadows these flaws for me: The writing is mature.

I thought it was rich with charm and thrills. She really added to the suspense in some action sequences.I really loved the story. I didn't feel like I needed to know more about her character, she was such a fun villainess to watch. Doc Ock is another example, portrayed as a brilliant, but outlandish female scientist with a psychotic passion for villainy. He's a powerful force and a legitimately scary antagonist. Kingpin looks excellent in this film, with his titanic body and small head with an intimidating grimace. Kingpin is a character I don't think was portrayed accurately outside of the comics, just appearing as a generic, heavy-set bald brute, when he's really an enormous, borderline non-human tank. I also appreciate the stylization of certain villains. It's very appealing to watch and it seamlessly matches the comic book theme. I really enjoy the blend of 3D models with traditional 2D movement. Heck, one of the most hard-hitting, poignant lines is spoken by Spider-Ham, the breakout comedic relief.Miles and a majority of characters share the same art style. Even with these different identities, the film slows down to balance their character in a serious nature. New York, boasts a dark, shadowy vibe similar to Sin City, Peni Parker has a bubbly anime look, and Spider-Ham is a bouncy, eccentric cartoon character who takes full advantage of his absurd existence to deliver some of the film's best laughs.
