It’s often said that a good sequel should not only expand the story of the original work, but also hold up on its own as a piece of art. It’s a tough balance, and many works don’t stick the landing (*cough* Rise of Skywalker *cough*). But in a way, Sony Pictures Animation’s “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse” is different. Not only does it have to keep up that previously mentioned balance, but—much like its predecessor—it strives to honor the over half a century long legacy of Spiderman. A legacy that thousands of people are deeply enthralled with and a legacy that I have very little experience with.

I vividly remember when “Into the Spiderverse” was announced. I had no intention of seeing it. The animation looked great and there was a ton of hype surrounding it, but even in 2018 I was already burnt out on superheroes. Besides, I had absolutely no interest in Spiderman or its lore. 

Before the first Spiderverse movie released in Dec. 2018, my experience with the web-slinging superhero was watching Tobey Maguire ham it up in “Spider-Man 3.” Then in April 2018, I witnessed Tom Holland crumble into dust during “Avengers: Infinity War” among a theater of sobbing fans.

But when dropped, it had a tsunami-level impact. 

A 100% on Rotten Tomatoes within a week of its release, and an endless field of glowing reviews. 

It seemed like everyone was talking about it. I saw the film in theaters and fell in love almost instantly.

Cut to late 2021, much of the excitement had calmed down. 

The movie settled into a well-deserved 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. During the pandemic alone, I’d rewatched it at least 20 times. 

Then one day I catch the first look of “Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse” on Sony’s YouTube channel and like a flip of a switch, I’m excited all over again. 

It promised a release date of Oct. 7, 2022… only for it to be pushed back to 2023.

Now we’re here. I saw the film on opening weekend, and within the first five minutes, it was like I was back in that 2018 theater all over again.

“Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse” is about on par with the first, meaning that it’s quickly become one of my top ten favorite films of all time; which is funny, seeing how after five years, I still know little to nothing about Spiderman beyond the basics. 

Even funnier, “Across the Spiderverse” takes the abundant references of the first movie and dials it up to 100.

Yet, that’s what makes both Spiderverse movies so great, it manages to be accessible to extreme fans, newbies who are interested in the lore and—if you’re like me—casual moviegoers who just want to experience an exciting action-packed adventure.

I might not recognize most of the Spider-people that make a cameo throughout the movie, but I can attach myself to the characters, the plot and especially the animation just as much as any movie.

If you can, go see it in theaters. The big screen and even bigger sound is the definitive way to watch this film. 

As of the writing of this article, information about production of the third Spiderverse film is a bit all over the place. But as long as the wait ensures another great experience, I will wait as patiently as I can for “Beyond the Spiderverse”.