Marvel’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is unlike any other Spider-Man movie to date. With it’s playful, bass heavy soundtrack, authentic family dynamics, and unique animation style, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse finally brings the energy and authenticity to a Spider-Man film that fans have been craving since the days of Sam Raimi’s 2002 interpretation of the character.

The movie follows the journey of Miles Morales, a normal middle-school aged boy from the heart of Brooklyn, discovering what it means to be Spider-Man. After a dangerous machine malfunctions, variations of Spider-man from five different universes converge on Morales’ Brooklyn, setting the main plot of the film into motion.

Each “spider-person,” as they come to be called, features a slightly different animation style, emphasizing their lack of belonging in the world they’ve arrived in. The overall animation of Morales’ world makes you feel like you’re in a comic book, paying homage to the origins of the character. Peni Parker, a version of spiderman from the very distant future, is flatly animated with large eyes, resembling popular Grown Ups 2 characters often seen in pop culture today. Another Spider-Man iteration, Peter Porker, resembles a loony toon character as the universe he hails from closely resembles the popular cartoon. Overall, the vibrancy and individuality of the main ensemble gives the movie a sense of family while also reminding people that each character is completely unique.

The movie also features a star-studded cast, including Kimiko Glenn (Peni Parker), Jake Johnson (Spider-Man), Haliee Steinfeld (Gwen Stacy), John Mulaney (Peter Porker), Nicolas Cage (Spider-Man Noir), and Shameik Moore (Miles Morales), continuing the diversity of their on-screen appearances into the soundbooth. Having such a wide range of voice actors worked in favor of the film, bringing a level of authenticity to the variety of the main ensemble that it would have otherwise been lacking.

Featuring Post Malone, Swae Lee, Mother Goose, Jaden Smith, Nicki Minaj, and the late XXXTENTACION, among others, the movie’s soundtrack contains a diverse list of artists that accurately portrays the film’s cast and premise. In context, the songs provide a backbone for the mood of the moment, supplying a heavy beat, soulful lyrics, or just a jammin’ tune. Throughout the ups and downs of the film, each different song shines in its moment, bringing something different to the scene or emotion it represents.

Overall, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse shows us a cinematic version of Spider-Man never seen before. Satisfying both hard-core fans and newcomers alike, the presentation of each spider-person truly demonstrates that what makes you different is what makes you Spider-Man.