Sony’s new movie, in association with Marvel, titled Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, hit theatres just last week. In its first weekend, it took over the number one spot at the box office, grossing over $56 million worldwide, even though many critics did not enjoy it. While some people are in favor for this new portrayal of the classic Spider-Man characters seen in the movies, others believe that the movie was unneeded. In my opinion, this new take on the classic characters was the perfect switch-up for the MCU, but it could have been better in the hands of Marvel Studios instead of Sony.

For those who have not seen the movie, spoilers are ahead. The way the movie opens up immediately catches the viewer’s attention: flashing colors, amazing animation, and some songs written specifically for the movie. The main character, Miles Morales, is shown attending his new school. Seeing a colored lead in the MCU is a needed but uncommon occurrence, with exceptions such as the Black Panther cast, Falcon, and War Machine. The plot has twists viewers may not expect, and the story arch behind it easily catches the audience’s attention.

One of the overall lessons taught is that sometimes you need to take a leap of faith or step out of your comfort zone in order to reach your full potential. Once students reach the high school level, many may be afraid to try new activities, and this movie shows that greatness can be achieved by believing in yourself and experiencing new things.

Many students, myself included, thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Georgia Smith-Rasmussen, a freshman, describes that the style of the movie “was a lot like reading a comic! With all the height colors and yellow text boxes, into the Spider-Verse is exactly like a comic book.” The yellow text boxes allow the viewers to see more into Miles’ thoughts.

Smith-Rasmussen also thinks that the movie is great for kids and teens. This is because there is a good amount of humor but “beyond humor, the movie covers some serious topics and has heartfelt moments between Miles and his father, uncle, and his team of Spider-People. The interaction between all the spiders from different dimensions was interesting and super fun!”

Similarly to Smith-Rasmussen, another freshman named DJ Harris expresses that the movie is “a good balance of action and comedy, the movie grabbed the watchers’ attention instantly.” The comedic side of the movie is definitely a favorite, but there are some other aspects that are new and cool to see. Harris also explains that “the concept of a whole ‘spider-team’ allowed fans to focus not just on one spider-hero, but on all the spider-members they love. Throughout his journey to become the Spider-Man of his dimension, fans watched Miles learn and adapt to this unique situation, as the characters we all love once again fight for peace, not just in this reality, but across them all.” From talking to students, it seems that the critics who did not enjoy the movie may not accurately represent the popular opinion.

Though Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse may just appear to just be an animated kids movie, the art style, comedic qualities, story, and lessons are worth the watch for teens, especially those at high school level. The movie allows for a good laugh while also teaching that, sometimes, trying new things can make way for needed experiences.