Noah Cassidy’s review published on Letterboxd:
Anyone can wear the mask.
While I don't think Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is even in my top ten favorite superhero films, I have little problem saying it's the film that throughout the entire genre best gets the appeal of these types of stories. It's a testament to whimsy, spectacle, and possibility. The superhero comic books of old started as tales akin to Greek mythology, stories that focused on godlike beings you could read the stories of every month and be consistently drawn in by their power and fun. However, in the Silver Age, really with the introduction of Spider-Man specifically, one more layer of depth was added. Superheroes were brought down to the level of humans. These characters were no longer just beings above the potential of any normal being. Minus the powers, the heroes were normal beings. Peter Parker could swing from webs and stick to walls, but he also had to write research papers and deal with puberty.
The greatest strength of Into the Spider-Verse, in a sea of many strengths, is its understanding of that. Being a hero isn't easy, but it's something that's potential in anybody. As Mary Jane says in the film, even though the powers were put on Peter without his permission, it was fully his decision to become Spider-Man. Given extraordinary abilities, he fought for good. It's a leap of faith, but you often won't be alone with that leap. Miles Morales is a great character, and he offers a fresh and intriguing take on the comic book origin story here, but my favorite character and performance undoubtedly has to be from Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker. Without giving specifics away, Spider-Verse pretty much did what Avengers: Endgame does with Thor months before that came out. Turmoil and tragedy doesn't discriminate. It can hit anyone at anytime, and even someone like Peter can hit rock bottom.
It's hard to get back up after being knocked down over and over. Instead of saving the city, sometimes you just want to eat pizza, cry in the shower, and watch a documentary about seahorses. But even after falling into a dark hole, seemingly losing what made you who you are, the hero is still in there somewhere. You might need to take a second leap of faith, but you'll almost always find you are still worthy. Months after seeing it in theaters, Into the Spider-Verse stands tall as undeniable proof that making movies about superheroes isn't a total waste of time. They can look beautiful, make you laugh your ass off, and warm your heart.
That person who helps others simply because it should or must be done, and because it is the right thing to do, is indeed without a doubt, a real superhero.
9.5/10
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