Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has finally graced the world with its presence today, and while the theatrical bow of this mammoth of a Marvel movie is an inarguable win for comic book film fans everywhere, it’s equally as bittersweet; indeed, as someone who snuck a Thursday night preview into their schedule, I can confirm that there’s no measurable chance that a better comic book movie will emerge from the woodwork any time soon.
But, peaks should be celebrated, and there’s a whole lot to celebrate when it comes to Across the Spider-Verse; from its diverse art styles to spectacular writing to the nigh unmatchable performances from co-leads Shameik Moore and Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen and Miles, Across the Spider-Verse conquers.
And while it’s hard to pinpoint one cylinder amongst its fellow firing brethren, there was one big piece of the puzzle that stole the show to a degree far beyond what we expected.
With Oscar Isaac shoring him up in the voice acting department, it was no adventurous guess that Miguel O’Hara was going to impress, but we didn’t expect this ticking time-bomb of an anti-hero to serve quite as hard as he did.
Indeed, Spider-Man 2099 had all the tools to be a one-man show all his own; his threatening aura was only matched by his skin-crawling tenacity, and even his state as one of the most tragic Spider-Men of all didn’t prevent him from having a humorous moment or two.
It’s a hard ask to dethrone the infinitely likeable pair of Miles and Gwen from the top of the Spider-Verse pyramid, but Miguel, the full package of a character that he is, gave it one hell of a shot, and he came dangerously close.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is now playing in theaters.