Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Into the Spider-Verse is noticeably different to all the previous Spider-Man feature films. Firstly, it is animated. Secondly, it focuses on Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore), a mixed-race teenager who is bitten by an unusual-looking spider. As he develops his arachnid abilities, Miles encounters spider people from different dimensions, including Peter Parker (Jake Johnson), a jaded, schlubby version of the character we know. This leads to some joyous moments (Peter web-swinging with Miles), although characters like Spider-Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld) and anime-inspired Peni Parker (Kimiko Glen) are a little underused as they unite to stop the nefarious plans of the Kingpin (Liev Schrieber). The animation is gorgeous - as you would expect from an Oscar and Bafta best animated feature winner - and Nicolas Cage gets a few laughs as Spider-Man Noir, a 1930s gumshoe take on the character. Meanwhile, there are plenty of in-jokes for avid fans (the second post-credits sequence is very funny), not that you need to be a Spidey nerd to be entertained. The whole thing is very jokey and weird (one character is a talking cartoon pig!), so it might not appeal to viewers who prefer dark, serious-minded superhero movies. Crucially, though, kids and Marvel fans will love it.