
The consensus is strongly positive, with praise concentrated on animation that brings comic-book drawing, colour and page layouts into motion rather than smoothing them away. Most critics find that this gives a familiar origin story fresh energy. Miles Morales supplies the emotional centre, with his family relationships and friendship with Peter B. Parker drawing particular praise. The humour, voice performances and contrasting styles of the other Spider-characters also make the crowded multiverse engaging.
The differences concern how much noise and complication the story can bear. The Independent finds that the energy occasionally overwhelms quieter moments, while /Film notes a curtailed subplot and slight overlength. The Hollywood Reporter offers a sharper reservation: the visual invention becomes sensory overload, and the shifting worlds weaken the sense that anything matters. Enthusiasm is broad, but these reservations suggest that the relentless activity is not equally rewarding for every critic.
R
Radio Times
★★★★★ · Alex Berry
100
The critic calls it a bold, Oscar-winning animated spin with a pulsing hip-hop soundtrack and dazzling visuals that refresh the character. They single out the inventive design and the vibrant energy brought by the other versions of Spider-Man.
Read the full review →L
Los Angeles Times
28 November 2018 · Justin Chang
90*
The critic finds the film terrific despite initial skepticism about superhero movies, praising its inventive animation that blends CG with comic-book aesthetics and its emotional core centered on Miles Morales as a richly imagined character.
Read the full review →L
Little White Lies
8 December 2018 · 5/4/4 · Kambole Campbell
80
The critic calls it outrageous fun with an endlessly imaginative script and animation to match. They single out the mentor-mentee relationship between Miles and Peter B. Parker as consistently delightful and sometimes moving.
Read the full review →S
Sight and Sound
12 December 2018 · Henry K. Miller
80*
The critic finds the film funny in itself and visually dazzling for its own sake. They single out the mercurial animation that races through visual registers and the motley assemblage of Spider-creatures from parallel universes.
Read the full review →T
The Telegraph
12 December 2018 · ★★★★ · Robbie Collin
80
The critic praises it as the wildest, wittiest web-slinging movie yet and a spiffing fusion of Marvel’s historic aesthetic with state-of-the-art animation. They single out the craft and sumptuously designed end credits.
Read the full review →T
Time Out
6 December 2018 · ★★★★ · Phil de Semlyen
80
The critic describes it as bonkers and a bit brilliant, a fresh Spidey reboot well worth watching. They single out the clutter of other Spideys with their own animation styles and the eye-popping visuals packed into each frame.
Read the full review →S
Screen Daily
28 November 2018
75*
The critic finds it a confident blend of comic-book élan and stirring sentiment that finds fresh ways to tell the familiar story. They single out the dynamic action sequences and self-referential riffs alongside the splendid voice cast.
Read the full review →E
Empire
29 November 2018 · John Nugent
The film boldly embraces the multiverse with five origin stories, delivering animation unlike anything seen before, witty gags and heartfelt focus on Miles Morales. It is fresh, funny and frequently bonkers—an astonishing shot of cinematic superhero adrenaline that feels original.
Read the full review →G
The Guardian
28 November 2018 · Peter Bradshaw
The critic calls it a thrilling, witty and surprisingly necessary chapter in the franchise that converts studio impositions into amusement-park thrills. They single out the vibrant, expressionistic animation that evokes comics with Ben-Day dots and psychedelic visuals.
Read the full review →H
The Hollywood Reporter
28 November 2018 · Todd McCarthy
The critic praises the film's striking visual style that blends computer and hand-drawn animation with dynamic multiverse elements and a fresh, multicultural cast of Spider-characters. However, it is faulted for running too long, causing sensory overload and a sense that nothing ultimately matters amid the ephemeral realms.
Read the full review →I
The Independent
12 December 2018
The film revitalises the Spider-Man franchise through animation, blending visual flair, humour, pathos and style while arguing that animation suits comic-book movies best. It is ambitious and often thrilling, though its noisy energy can occasionally overshadow grounded moments.
Read the full review →T
The Times
14 December 2018 · ★★★★☆ · Kevin Maher
The critic calls it an audacious, revolutionary take on Spider-Man that is the best yet. They single out the mind-bending animation and careful character work creating an emotional triangle between Miles, his father and uncle.
Read the full review →T
Total Film
29 November 2018
Into the Spider-Verse is a joyful, trippy new incarnation brimming with wit, soul and jaw-dropping visuals that obliterates assumptions about Spider-Man stories. It is smart, funny and visually astonishing, with unexpected heart and thrilling action.
Read the full review →V
Variety
28 November 2018 · Critic's Pick · Peter Debruge
The critic calls it a brilliant, postmodern riff that resets and expands the Spider-Man universe with fresh retro comic-book visuals and a hip-hop score, highlighting its inclusive message that anyone can be a hero.
Read the full review →The review highlights the film's inventive animation that translates comic-book aesthetics to the screen in a kinetic and abstract way, marking a stylistic breakthrough for major animated features. It singles out the nano-second timing, split-screen gags, and the likable lead Miles Morales for making the multiverse chaos engaging and fun.
Read the full review →D
Den of Geek
14 December 2018 · ★★★★★ · Mike Cecchini
100
The critic calls it the best superhero movie of the year, praising the playful screenplay, energetic voice cast, and endlessly inventive animation that elevates a familiar origin story. They single out the emotional depth and likability of Miles Morales as the standout element.
Read the full review →C
Collider
13 December 2018 · A · Matt Goldberg
95
The critic praises the film as the best Spider-Man movie and one of the best superhero movies of 2018, highlighting its unique animation style that mixes comic book aesthetics with street art and acid effects, and its thoughtful deconstruction of the character through Miles Morales' story.
Read the full review →/
/Film
3 December 2018 · 9/10 · Chris Evangelista
90
The critic calls it the best superhero movie of the year and possibly the best Spider-Man film ever, praising its visual style, humor, action, and heart as a fresh take freed from realism by animation. They single out the innovative blend of animation styles and the central relationship between Miles and Peter B. Parker for particular praise, while noting minor issues with a trimmed subplot and slight overlength.
Read the full review →R
The Ringer
13 December 2018 · Micah Peters
90*
The review calls it one of the best animated features and superhero movies, praising its recreation of the sensation of reading a crossover comic through innovative animation and its organic, delightful take on the origin story and multiverse.
Read the full review →W
The Wrap
12 December 2018 · William Bibbiani
90*
The critic calls the film audacious, funny and thrilling, praising it as the best Spider-Man movie since Spider-Man 2. They single out its emotional depth, strong representation across characters, and innovative animation style for particular praise.
Read the full review →P
Polygon
28 November 2018 · Susana Polo
85*
The critic lauds the film as one of the best action comedies, emphasizing its vibrant comic-book-inspired art style, seamless multiverse storytelling, and joyful celebration of superhero coolness through Miles Morales' coming-of-age tale.
Read the full review →Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate