8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.9 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Miles Morales takes up the Spider-Man mantle in order to help several other Spider-Men from other dimensions stop the Kingpin from destroying the universe with a super collider.
Starring: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Brian Tyree HenryAdventure | 100% |
Action | 82% |
Comic book | 80% |
Fantasy | 80% |
Animation | 32% |
Family | 28% |
Teen | 11% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
All Dolby Atmos have a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit) core
English, English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
UV digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Just when Spider-Man fatigue should be setting in, Sony Animation goes and makes a brand new, exhilaratingly scripted, beautifully assembled, dramatically relevant, socially current, and uniquely visualized origins story for a new generation in a film that hearkens back to Superhero basics, as in it almost literally brings the inky comic book art style from the page to the screen. The film's basic plot mechanics are not dissimilar from any other introductory Spider-Man film: a high schooler is bitten by a radioactive spider, struggles to deal with his newfound powers, and eventually embraces his new identity as a hero when he is thrust into action against unspeakable and highly determined evil. But, this time, he has help. Into the Spider-Verse introduces a number of "alternate" spider-heroes who stand side-by-side with New York's newest web-slinger, fostering his growth as a human being and as a masked hero. At the same time, the movie builds around a unique art style that recreates the comic book page on the screen. It's fresh and familiar at the same time, a blast to watch, and sure to become a new favorite within the Superhero cinema landscape.
The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc. Watch for 4K screenshots at a later date.
Sony's upscaled 2160p/HDR-enhanced UHD presentation of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse delivers a terrific image, full of exacting detail
and abundant color. It yields a favorable, if not sometimes modest, improvement over the Blu-ray, generally finding more complex textural yields as
well as a more firm and deep color spectrum with special emphasis on the movie's climax. The lines and points that give the image its unique comic
book texturing appear slightly sharper and more naturally defined on the UHD. There's certainly not a textural leap to be found in direct comparisons
but that finer detailing and the sharper foundational attributes go a long way in solidifying the image's core animation style. Improvements are evident
across nearly every texture, foreground and background alike, primary visual element or small supportive detail. Faces and costumes are of course the
main beneficiaries, but the street-level shots, for example, are bountifully textured, too.
The HDR color enhancements are sometimes at the level of "refinement" and sometimes at the level of "significant." Various scenes favor degrees of
improvement and modest changes to color density and depth. Spider-Man reds and blues bear the fruit of HDR's ability to deepen and strengthen.
These colors enjoy a small fine-tuning with the HDR process that renders them a little more realistically deep and a slight bit less bright than the
Blu-ray. The movie's final act showdown is where the HDR proves its worth. The sequence is defined by the borderline psychedelic display of quickly
alternating, fluidly moving, and brightly diverse colors across the background. Add in the variously colorful heroes and villains and the sequence is a
dazzling display of color that will push any screen to its limits. HDR adds a critical depth and dazzle and luminance here. The swirling purples, dots of
pink, splashes of blue and purple stand as one of the most amazing displays of HDR eye candy the format has yet seen. HDR also improves on white
balance and deepens blacks. For what may be minimalist, but appreciable and appreciated, improvements generally, there are times, such as that final
battle, when the image absolutely soars under the HDR parameters. Blu-ray viewers are not short-changed, but the movie is at its best on UHD.
Unlike the day-and-date Blu-ray, which features a DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 lossless soundtrack, the film's UHD release has a Dolby Atmos presentation on offer. It's not a drastically different listening experience. It maintains the prodigious bass, the expansive stage width, and the omnipresent surround integration while adding a top end layer that doesn't necessarily deliver a parade of discrete effects but that does fold in plenty of activity to create a more enveloping spatial awareness that helps solidify a number of shots, scenes, and sequences, particularly the multitude that involve movement in unusual places, such as up high, swinging through the air, or during the film's climax where everything goes everywhere in a sequence that is at once easy to follow but at the same time wildly unpredictable and varied. That climax embodies everything the track does well: the powerful but balanced bass, the seamless surround integration, movement dynamics, crystal-clear and enveloping music, and perfectly focused dialogue. It's quite amazing how the track can throw so much sonic information out of the speakers yet maintain a perfectly balanced level of object separation, elemental clarity, and seamless sense of movement, all the while the subwoofer offers a dynamically intense and perfectly complimentary thump. The Atmos track is degrees better thanks to the added channels afforded to it, but those who can only decode the 7.1 track are not going to be left wanting much more. But this is a reference quality Atmos track from the opening titles to the climactic battle.
This UHD release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse carries over two of the extras found on the bundled Blu-ray: the audio commentary
track and the "Caught in a Ham" short film, which is presented in 1080p/SDR. Below is a review of all extras available on the Blu-ray disc. This release
ships with a Movies Anywhere digital copy code as well as a non-embossed slipcover.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse doesn't reinforce the concept of franchise fatigue. It reinvents the franchise. While clinging to basic storytelling principles and a predictable arc, it finds plenty of character depth in fresh faces and heartfelt relationships. Action is achieved at unparalleled heights that even the best live action CGI supports cannot yet fully bring to the screen. It plays with great familiarity but great novelty at the same time. There may not be a better Superhero origins story out there, dramatically, visually, or creatively alike. Sony's UHD is in every way of reference quality. Dazzling video with HDR colors to die for during the extraordinarily colorful climax, a superb Dolby Atmos soundtrack, and plenty of extras make this one of the 2019's best releases. Very highly recommended.
PS5 4K Movie Essentials
2018
2018
Foil Artwork
2018
Limited Edition Artwork
2018
with Miles Morales Action Figure
2018
Limited Edition
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2018
2019
Cinematic Universe Edition
2019
2017
2023
2016
2014
2011
2012
Cinematic Universe Edition
2019
2017
2017
Ultimate Collector's Edition
2014
2008
DC Universe Animated Original Movie #30
2017
2017
2015
2020
Cinematic Universe Edition
2018
Cinematic Universe Edition
2012
2021