A lot of people I know, including my kids, have told me that this is a great film. So tonight I took the plunge and rented it. I’m happy to say that I was really, really impressed, and agree that this might be one of the best Spider-man films out there. I’ll try and keep this review spoiler free, so let’s break down what I liked, and didn’t like.

Starting with the likes, I have to first say that the animation style was amazing. The blending of realistic animation, with what amounted to abstract art, was phenomenal. The world of Miles Morales came to life in a way that was real, but yet bent into the absurd when needed. Yet, that bending never felt out of place. Even when things were happening that couldn’t happen in real life, it felt natural. Visually, this was a great film.

The story was also unique and engaging. There were tropes and easy-to-spot plots, but it flowed naturally. I never felt like I was being spoon-fed a generic storyline. A couple of twists didn’t become apparent to me until they were close to being sprung, which helped keep the suspense moving. Without giving anything away, it also showed that the writers had fun with the basic plot they were given. They got to express themselves in a lot of varied ways, and it all ended up working really well.

Add to this, some top notch vocal talent, and it was a an easy sell for me to enjoy this flick. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t poke a couple of holes in some areas that could have been improved.

Of all the relationships in the film, I felt like the one between Miles and his dad needed more work. I know I was supposed to care about it more, but I felt like there might have been something left on the cutting room floor that could have made it deeper. There could have also been more growth and discovery as their relationship evolved, and it would have helped drive home the point of their love at the end.

My only other big complaint was with Wilson Fisk, one of the bad guys in the film. It’s a small complaint, but I wish that they had gone with a more realistic interpretation of the character’s shape and size. I understand wanting to stay true to the comic book version, but of all the weird characters in the film, his stuck out as being truly absurd and over the top.

Despite these couple of small nitpicks, I couldn’t find much else to complain about. This film was a really fun way to spend an evening, and I’m incredibly happy I took the time to watch it. If you’re a fan of fun, superhero stories, do yourself the favor and rent this when you want to have a nice relaxing evening. It’s well worth the price of admission.