The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story

The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story is a short film about Miles Morales from the Spider-Verse movies dealing with being Spider-Man. It's about 7 minutes long, so it doesn't have the time to have as much of a story that's in either of the Spider-Verse movies. It's still good for what we have in it. This is at least something to help satisfy us until Beyond the Spider-Verse releases. With that, it doesn't take place between Across and Beyond. It actually takes place between Into and Across, it just released after Across. It does show more development to Miles with him being stressed out being Spider-Man, of which goes with the Kevin Love Fund and the Hero Within Initiative it is going on with. Overall, that makes it a good short film.

In a Short, Sony and Marvel did brilliant to create a relatable adventure for Miles Morales' Spider-Man. The animation is well-done just like the Film that comes before it (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse) and the music is also put together nicely to keep it a calm and engaging experience. It also sends the correct message across in a way where Anxiety is the Villain and that anyone can over come it. You don't need superpowers to prove Anxiety wrong and you don't need them to prove doubts wrong. You can always open up to someone likes Miles did to his Father and whatever is going on in your life between Miles' struggles of homework and fighting crime, there will always be someone there to support him in life.

A great little heart felt short film about Anxiety & Depression which looks great while also handling its subject matter with the sensitivity and care it both needs and deserves.

It's not all perfect though. While it doesn't patronise the audience, it maybe does over-simplifies such an important and complicated subject matter. That being said, it is aimed at a younger audience, who may need it to be simplified. So this definitely stands as a way to start and normalise conversations on mental health, especially in men, both young and old. Either way, as a whole, it was a nice little addition to the brilliant Spider-Verse franchise.

7.5/10.

Sony Pictures Animations' The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story is yet another strong example of the studio's magnificent chops. Only 7 minutes in length, it tackles a heck of a lot under the surface - battles with anxiety, youthful pressures, and familial bonds through trauma. The cast is minimal (Shameik Moore and Brian Tyree Henry returning as Miles and Jeff Morales, respectively), but these minimal interactions with Miles' growing mental anguish create a turning point for both characters that culminates in something wholesome - a stark contrast to the short's dark, horror-inspired imagery.

Mental health has been an element of many cinematic Spider-Man stories, but this short confronts these themes head-on, pulling no punches in creating imagery that helps us feel what Miles is enduring. However, I can't help but feel that this short did not flourish like it could have. To me, this begs to be incorporated into a larger work, where we can examine this side of Miles and his feelings towards herodom as it relates to a grander story. This is not a make-or-break critique, of course, as the end product was effective, empathetic, and I'm sure started a lot of productive conversations.

The Spider Within: A Spider-verse Story is a great short film with an amazing message at its core that makes Miles Morales even more relatable. Watching him struggle with something so universal as anxiety and finding help by talking about it with his father is beautiful, superheroes have rarely felt this human.

Even in 7 minutes, it shows how this franchise is bolder, more mature, and more exciting than so much of the competition. It was never in doubt but it's also nice to have further proof of how perfect the soundtracks to Spider-verse films are with a closing credits song worthy of the previous two films.

The animation is stunning as usual, a love letter to the source material that visualises Miles' anxiety in very interesting ways and still finds time to throw in quick references to iconic Spider-Man imagery. It leans into horror like never before and confirms that animation is a way better and more creatively freeing medium than live action could ever be.