Spider-Verse 2 reviews: “Best animated movie of all time”
Sony PicturesSpider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the highly-anticipated second chapter of Miles Morales’ Spidey story, is nearly here – so, here’s a rundown of reactions, reviews, and its Rotten Tomatoes score.
What is the best Spider-Man movie of all time? Some would argue it’s 2004’s Spider-Man 2, the first sequel in Sam Raimi’s original trilogy, and still a masterpiece after nearly 20 years. Others may go to bat for Spider-Man: No Way Home, 2021’s multiverse team-up that rode a huge wave of nostalgia all the way to the bank.
The answer, truthfully, is Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. The 2018 movie was unlike anything we’d ever seen: kaleidoscopic, innovative animation paired with dynamic action, a wonderful story, and pitch-perfect voice casting – and it won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
Four years later, Spider-Verse 2 has arrived in the form of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – so, here’s all the reactions so far, plus any news on reviews and its Rotten Tomatoes score.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse reactions
To the shock of nobody, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has received unanimous, ecstatic praise in early first reactions.
Ben Schwartz, the voice behind Sonic the Hedgehog in the movies, tweeted: “This movie. This beautiful, brilliant, inspiring movie. #AcrossTheSpiderverse is a work of art. Every single frame is so jaw-droppingly beautiful, you almost can’t believe they pulled it off. The heart. The comedy. The action. The easter eggs. The music. The representation. THE SPIDERPEOPLE! I cannot wait to get back in a theatre and run it back.”
Schwartz also commended the work of directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson, and Kemp Powers, writers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Dave Callahan, and “these incredible animators… I am in awe.”
DiscussingFilm’s Andrew J. Salazar wrote: “AcrossTheSpiderVerse is yet another milestone for animation. Yes it’s gorgeous & visually mind-blowing, but this sequel surpasses the first for always putting Miles AND his family front and centre.
“This feels like a massive celebration for Spider-Man fans everywhere, whether you love the movies, games, comics, etc. But again, all the cameos and multiversal elements come SECOND to both Miles and Gwen’s story. For my money, this could be the best comic-book movie of 2023.”
Jake Hamilton also tweeted: “The moment SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE ended, I knew I’d experienced a cinematic moment I’d cherish forever. If INTO is A NEW HOPE, this is EMPIRE – darker, more powerful and better in every way.”
Anthony of The Movie Podcast said it’s “undoubtedly the greatest animated film to ever grace the big screen… a celebration of Spider-Man and a MAGNUM OPUS OF ART & STYLE, #SPIDERMAN HAS NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! Fantastic story, incredible action, and boy does this Spider-Fly! ABSOLUTELY SPECTACULAR!”
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse reviews
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse reviews dropped on May 31, and it’s received near-unanimous praise.
Empire wrote: “Across The Spider-Verse cranks every dial to 11, and somehow doesn’t collapse in on itself. Visually astonishing, emotionally powerful, narratively propulsive — it’s another masterpiece.”
IGN also wrote: “Surging with vibrant visuals and relentlessly chaotic action, Across the Spider-Verse is a worthy follow-up to an all-time classic.”
Collider gave it an A rating, writing: “Across the Spider-Verse isn’t just easily one of the best films of 2023 and one of the best animated films in years, it’s also in the running for best superhero film ever, and arguably cements Miles Morales as the best Spider-Man we’ve seen on the screen so far.”
While offering light criticism of its cliffhangers, The Independent said the “Spider-Verse has earned the right to a little self-aggrandizement. Out of every multiverse, this is the easiest to root for.”
The Hollywood Reporter’s review reads: “The film retains its signature tone — moving between humor and sentimentalism with a light touch — but there’s a greater effort now to connect Miles’ origin story to broader lessons about superhero canons. That doesn’t always land as gracefully, and parts of Across the Spider-Verse feel weighed down by this need to belabor a well-established point. Still those moments can be forgiven as the story unfurls, revealing that Miles, with his new challenges, remains a hero worth rooting for.”
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Rotten Tomatoes score
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
This is subject to change, as it’s only based on 32 reviews, but we’d be surprised to see the score dip any lower than 90%. Check out other reviews here.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse hits cinemas on June 2, 2023. You can find out more about the movie here.
