Comic book movies may be losing their swagger but no one told Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse to comply. Inventive, bursting with energy, and as entertaining as any comic book film released in several years, the animated sequel is a breath of fresh air. And a demonstration of how, when done right, superhero movies still have the opportunity to thrive.

A sequel to the equally creative Into the Spider-Verse, this one pits Miles Morales against the heroes of other worlds--more specifically, it pits his personal needs and desires against, theoretically, the very fabric of multidimensional space and time (and questions whether those have to be mutually exclusive). Dramatically layered and explosively colored, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is about as textured of a superhero movie as they come.

Featuring several exciting action sequences that encourage you to lean forward in your chair, Across the Spider-Verse is a blast to watch. Always colorful and always changing, it’s impossible not to appreciate the artistry on display, though occasionally I wished the movie would tone itself down and not go out of its way to give its audience seizures.

The story and script are what elevate the movie, however. It’s first and foremost an action movie, but it deftly handles mature themes and gives its characters and their relationships depth. Morales has matured, emotionally and physically, since the last one, and his dynamic with Gwen is compelling. The portrayal of his family is more than just lip service; they’re treated as the film’s emotional core, and for good reason as you’ll discover later in the film.

The film's biggest issue: it ends with an unexpected "To be continued" cliffhanger that is frustratingly abrupt.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is an exciting, imaginative, heartfelt, fun, and visually intoxicating piece of filmmaking. I wish it were a little shorter, but it makes the most of every second.

Review by Erik Samdahl.