After a five-year wait, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, swings into theaters and sets a new standard for superhero movies. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” follows Miles Morales (Shameik Moore), Earth-1610’s only Spider-Man, as he navigates being a teenager and making his own path all while being dragged into multiverse mayhem alongside tons of other spider-people.

It comes as no surprise that “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” influenced the future of animation, with movies like “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and the upcoming “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” taking influence from its art direction. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” once again comes out strong with an even more remarkable artistic flair bound to spawn copycats across the industry. Every frame of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” will leave audiences awestruck by its visuals. Every world within the multiverse has its own color palette, textures, and fluidity that not only add to the worldbuilding of the Spider-Verse, but also make a feast for the eyes. Miles’ Earth swirls blues, yellows and pinks to generate a warmer feel while the Spider HQ shown in the trailer uses cool, dark purples and blues. The film’s meticulous artwork stands out as some of the best animation to ever come out of Hollywood.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” builds a multifaceted story, taking each character on their own emotional journey separate from Miles’. Miles’ story follows his attempts to take control of his own life in both the multiverse and in his relationship with his parents. While audiences might not find relatability in saving the multiverse, all people will relate to the universal experience of becoming independent and transitioning into adulthood. With every character bringing a different theme and storyline to the central plot of the film, this superhero tale will lead audiences into hours of thought-provoking self-reflection.

Remarkable and miles better than its predecessor, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” makes its mark as one of the best superhero films of all time. With groundbreaking visuals and heartfelt storytelling, the story of Miles and the multiverse proves there are still meaningful stories to tell in the flashy, action-packed superhero medium. This movie, nothing short of magnificent, will leave audiences astounded and clambering for the release of part two, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” next year.

5 radioactive spiders out of 5