I said the other day how much I loved this movie, but I didn't really go into it. Saw it for the second time today, so I'm going to go into it now. Here is a bunch of what I loved about it:
- First and foremost, Miles Morales had a personality for the first time! In Bendis's run, he was completely devoid of personality, was too perfect, and gave us no emotional attachment. This Miles wasn't cocky at all, but he had a little bit of swagger. He was also a bit naive, and you felt it when he was going through the training process.
- Peter Parker was awesome. He was adept, just a bit out of shape, but still good at what he does. His relationship with Miles was pitch-perfect. Tired, but willing to help him out and it didn't take him long to get right into it.
- I LOVE the animation! They made the movie into a comic book in every good possible way. The thought boxes, thought balloons, the occasional sound affects. I liked the way they broke the screen into a few panels, and they didn't overuse it.
- They used all of the comic book and movie histories, including comic creators' names on the covers of the comics.
- The Peter Parker of Miles Morales's home dimension was quite possibly actually his clone, Ben Reilly.
- The Kingpin flashbacks where the stills and the animation looked like it was drawn by Bill Seinkeiwicz was so so so well done.
- The animation occasionally went from computer animation to looking hand-drawn. Almost all of the movie had dot patterns. Sometimes it ranged from very subtle to looking like it was done by Roy Lichtenstein.
- This did things that could not have been done with live-action (the hyperkinetic movement of the characters) and that couldn't work in a comic book (well, the same hyperkinetic movement).
- The music was perfect for a movie about teenagers.
There was really nothing I didn't like about this movie, but I'm sure I've missed some of the things I loved about it. Has anyone else seen it?
Replies
Oh, and I also loved:
I keep remembering more about this movie that I love...
My cousin in California texted coming out of the theater that I had to see this movie. It appeasr to be pretty awesome. Will see it soon!
Good, because I can't wait to talk about it to someone on here!
Captain Comics said:
I noted over on the "Movies I Have Seen Lately" thread that we saw several in a recent stretch, including Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, and was entreated to discuss it here.
So glad you loved this movie too. This was easily my favorite comic book movie of 2018. I cannot wait to own it. Just...so good in every possible way.
The PDNY thing did strike me as odd too.
As for Miles's last name, I have always assumed that for some reason he took his mom's last name? That would be a question for Bendis!
Saw it a few weeks ago. A wonderful movie. A wonderful "comic book." I suspect I'll need to see it again just to catch everything I missed the first time through.
At first the PDNY thing struck me as odd and it did take me out of the movie, but then it drove home that this is an alternate reality and some things are just different. But it was jarring, just as the alternate Coca-Cola logo was, and to audience not steeped in "multiversal" thinking it may have needed to be toned down a bit and the differences subtler. However, we are really reaching to find a nit to pick; the movie was a lot of fun.
My thoughts exactly. So glad you liked it!
Dave Palmer said:
I just saw this last night, and loved it so much. And the look of it! It's the most visually fresh -- in some places, beautiful -- animated film I've seen, at least among mainstream releases. In sheer terms of visual inventiveness, this outplays any other super-hero movie in the theaters. Hopefully it'll be taken as a challenge for everyone else to up their game.
Sensei, I hope you don't mind, but I'm also going to move this discussion to Movies and TV, instead of comics. That might make it a little easier for people to find it in the future.
No problem at all, Rob. Sorry about that! I was clearly pretty eager to post about it, as I'm sure you understand having seen it now.
Rob Staeger (Grodd Mod) said:
Sensei, I hope you don't mind, but I'm also going to move this discussion to Movies and TV, instead of comics. That might make it a little easier for people to find it in the future.