Content warning: This story contains spoilers for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

Many people would tell you that perfection is a standard that is impossible to meet; shoes that will forever be too big to fill. Yet after seeing the undeniable masterpiece that is Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, I could not disagree more. 

This film was released in 2018, a time in which the animated movie genre was largely dominated by Disney. And while Disney’s animated prowess is nothing to sneeze at, it’s hard to deny that their movies are pretty stylistically uninteresting. 

In comes Spider-Man to save the day. 

The style of this movie is something I can’t even truly articulate. It has a way of warping your vision, making the mix of 2D and 3D animation feel like live action. There are so many aspects that just make this movie glow. It’s completely overwhelming trying to even remember which parts stand out the most, because in a way, they all do. One of my favorite animation choices however, is the constant use of a glitch effect to make things feel uneasy or out of place. 

It’s hard to describe anything from this movie as “the best part” when all of it feels so incredible, but I think the soundtrack is a strong contender. Between the absolutely spine chilling theme of the Prowler, the triumphant and meaningful feeling of “What’s Up Danger”, and the general atmosphere that the music adds, the soundtrack is hard to ignore. 

Many movie soundtracks can feel like they’re just adding songs that they know are popular–or will become popular. But Spider-Man knows better. Each song in this film is full of meaning and helps build the feeling and context of the story in an indescribable way. 

Each of the characters are completely unique and interesting in a way that I don’t often see in film. It’s extremely difficult to decide on a favorite, but I think Spider-Man Noir really shined through here. Voiced by Nicholas Cage, Spider-Man Noir is unforgettable in nearly every way. His distinct 1930’s-esque dialogue is hilarious, with some of the best lines from the movie coming from him during battle, including:

 “I like to drink egg creams, and I like to punch Nazis. A lot.”

 “We don’t pick the ballroom. We just dance.” 

“Come on! Are ya gonna dance or are ya gonna fight, ya hard-boiled turtle-slapper?” 

Overall, Nicholas Cage and all the other incredible voice actors delivered an amazing performance that left me nearly in shock. 

There are millions of details I could dissect here to show you how absurdly good this movie is, but I think it’s just better if you go and watch it yourself. While the film was sadly taken off Netflix, you can still buy or rent it on YouTube and other streaming services. 

I truly mean it from the deepest part of my soul when I say there is not a single person reading this who will not enjoy that movie, so please watch it.