The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story

"The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story" (2024) was a take on what Miles Morales has to take on in his life, with that I am talking about pressure.

The animation in this short film is different than both Spider-verse movies, of course this is because the vast difference in budget. You can see this in the style that they move and pick up things, it feels more like stop-motion.

I was hoping for a release date for "Spider-man: Beyond The Spider-verse" but this sadly did not happen.

More about the short film itself is that of course the two people casted were the same as the movies, this made this part of the whole Spider-verse franchise.

I think it was lacking in some parts so it definitely doesn't rank the same as the movies do in my opinion.

No pun intended - until the next animated Spider Man movie comes out we did get this short to bridge the time. And while it does not really says it out loud, the short is about anxiety. Something you hopefully do not have about the release date of the next adventure Miles Morales is about to have ... no pun intended here also.

Obviously this is about a more serious topic and something we may not talk enough about. Expectations, just normal day life! Anyone can feel the pressure, can feel that they are not able to breathe. Not just super heroes! Once again we make him human - and Spider Man is really best to use for that form of connecting with the audience! Taking us back to our youth or talking to the youth directly of course.

But also incorporating the dad/parent, to show there is help (hopefully), we can fall back to. It can be many forms or persons - it is important to talk about things though. If you take anything from this, let this be it (and not that entertainment or horror is not important - sorry one last joke, had to)

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.

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 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.