Most critics like Spider-Noir, and the praise clusters almost entirely on Nicolas Cage. Review after review describes his world-weary private eye as the reason to watch: mannered, sarcastic, silly, and well matched to a series more interested in trench coats and cigarette smoke than in tights. The period detail draws steady approval too, from the rat-a-tat dialogue to the shadows and art-deco surfaces, with several reviews calling it a labour of love that turns out better than the concept promised. The reservations are about the plotting. Even admirers mention weak villains, uneven tone and genre shifts that do not land. The spread is wide rather than narrow. The two dissenters, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety, find the storytelling dull and repetitive, arguing that the show borrows the look of vintage gumshoe drama without adding much beneath it, and that it plays too safe to earn the noir label.
Radio Times
22 May 2026 · ★★★★
Nicolas Cage is pitch-perfect as the grizzled lead in this enjoyable if frivolous retro Marvel spin-off. The well-realised noir style and strong sense of the period make it a labour of love that exceeds expectations for the concept.
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