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)

This short film was an interesting additional story, to add the ever-growing movies for Miles Morales, As the newest Spider-Man superhero this film makes a lot of sense, having to balance being a superhero and his normal life also, the fear and anxiety he was going through is normal because of the dangers of being a superhero involves. This felt like a spinoff horror movie with some of the scenes in this short film.

I like how Miles Morales can still feel relatable as a normal teenager to many people even as a superhero. The animation was great and as a Miles Morales Spider-Man fan it was great seeing new content with Miles Morales. I recommend this to anyone who watched the previous movies and is a fan of Spider-Man, Miles Morales and superhero media in general.

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.

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.