Why is the sequel never the equal? Well, this fourth dimension it is.

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," now zipping into the theater-poetry, is the long-awaited follow-upwardly to 2018'due south "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse," a revelatory thrill ride that deservedly won the Oscar for blitheness.

You watch this jaw-dropping encore in awe at what animation can practise when it's diggings by formula to open up new frontiers as a visual and emotional powerhouse. Too much? Sometimes. But "Across the Spider-Poesy," the first in a two-role sequel (we'll have to expect till March to complete the tale with "Across the Spider-Verse") is out to make history. Consider information technology washed.

No knock on Tom Holland, the most contempo and best live-activeness Spider-Man, only this riveting re-imagining creates a multitude of web slingers to tickle our comic-book fancy and deepen it. To stick with traditional Peter Parker and his heroic alter-ego is to be stuck in a artistic rut.

None of that here. "Across the Spider-Poetry" picks upward with Miles Morales (again voiced by the terrific Shameik Moore), Brooklyn's half-Black, one-half-Puerto Rican Spider-Man, at present joining Spider-Woman Gwen Stacy (a quipy, playful Hailee Steinfeld) on a trip to realms where Spideys are equally plentiful equally Swifties.

Miles and Gwen accept a mission impossible from the Spider Society, led by Oscar Isaac's gloomy Miguel O'Hara, aka Spider-Man 2099, and Issa Rae's significant, hog-riding Jessica Drew. From their dwelling house base in futuristic Nueva York, both exercise their ability with responsibleness.

PHOTO: "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," 2023.

Marvel

"Spider-Human: Across the Spider-Poesy," 2023.

The do-badder is The Spot (Jason Schwartzman deliciously stealing scenes merely equally he does in the upcoming "Asteroid City") who amps up his part every bit villain of the week past taking vengeance on Miles for turning his body into ink-blot spots that serve every bit portals into other worlds.

Information technology'southward Miles and Gwen who chase The Spot down to the Bombay-inspired, mega-city of Mumbattan with the help of Spider-Man India Pavitr Prabhakar (Karan Soni) and Spider-Punk Hobie Chocolate-brown (a only fantastic turn past Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya).

Yous'll stare in wonder at the wild visionary miracles that keep spilling out on screen with their own animation styles and color tones. You've never seen anything like information technology in your life. Actually.

But for all its eye-popping dazzle, "Across the Spider-Verse" finds it eye in its immature heroes. Even every bit Miles tags the urban center walls with his art like a web slinging Banksy, this 15-yr-old is torn upward almost having to keep his identity hidden from his constable dad (Brian Tyree Henry) and nurse mom (Luna Lauren), who worry most his safety in a racially charged social club.

Equally for Gwen, the secrets she keeps exit her charged with the murder of her friend Peter Parker past, of all people, her police-helm father George (Shea Whigham).

PHOTO: "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," 2023.

Curiosity

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse," 2023.

Information technology all comes to a caput in the film'due south stupendous final section when Miles and Gwen are propelled into a multiverse that's raining Spider-Men, women, children, animals, you name information technology. The animation, both hand-sketched and calculator-created, is explosive pop fine art. In a give-and-take, wow!

That's because the filmmakers never forget to make united states of america care about Miles and his growing pains, or what nosotros would do if nosotros were in his onesie.

It's everything, everywhere, all at once to cite some other Oscar-winning trip into the multiverse. But you hang on with breathless excitement because this Spidey sequel knows how to turn your caput around six means from Sunday without losing its grip on the tale's soulful humanity. My heed is diddled. Just await to see what this volcano of creative ideas in full eruption does to yours.