Charlotte film buff is a Spider-Man expert. Why he rates new ‘Spider-Verse’ movie so high

The newest Spider-Man movie, the animated “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” has been dominating the box office and receiving nothing short of rave reviews since its release June 2.

Film critic Sean O’Connell is a Charlotte native and long-time Spider-Man fan. So much so that he wrote a book last year called “With Great Power,” about the history of the character and how Spider-Man “conquered Hollywood” to arguably become the most beloved — and marketable — superhero of all time.

The Charlotte Observer recently spoke with O’Connell about all things Spidey, and what he thinks of the new film.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

What was it about Spider-Man that inspired you to write a book about all the movies?

I grew up on Spider-Man’s animated television programs and started collecting comics at a young age. I’m from New York, like Spider-Man, so I connected with that as well. But I have always loved his sarcasm and his inability to quit no matter how hard circumstances get.

I started writing about film in the late 1990s. In 2002, the first Spider-Man movie came out, so I felt like my career paralleled the development of those films.

Approaching the release of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (in 2021), which united the three generations of live-action Spider-Men, I decided that the generational appeal of the Spider-Man franchise would make a really interesting story.

The “Spider-Verse” films feature Spider-Man with Miles Morales as a mixed-race, African American and Puerto Rican teen. What do you think of this representation for this next generation of Spider-Man?

It goes a long way towards explaining the popularity and success of the “Spider-Verse” movies. They have fully embraced the fact that the character works across different cultures, different universes.

I got that chance to interview Phil Lord and Chris Miller, writers and producers of the film, ahead of its release. They talked about how it’s incredible that the core values of the Spider-Man character that Stan Lee and Steve Ditko created back in the 1960s still fit every demographic today.

No matter the race or culture, Spider-Man is still just a kid who wants to do the right thing. And he inspires people to go above and beyond what they think they can do. I believe that’s helped Spider-Man become a worldwide sensation.

What are your thoughts on the new film, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”?

The first movie — “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018) — was a masterpiece. And this new one improves on it tenfold.

This movie is backed by these imaginative people who truly have creative freedom because of what animation allows you to do.

What I thought the sequel did well too was further develop these characters that we’ve grown to love. “Across the Spider-Verse” gave us more of a backstory for Gwen (Stacey) and her father, set up more storylines for Peter B. Parker and Mary Jane by giving them a kid, and developed that really strong family relationship Miles has with his parents.

This new Spider-Man film is a masterpiece on every level — from screenwriting to execution. I don’t know what the third one is going to do to top it, but I have full faith in the Spider-Verse team can.

Between comics, TV and film, Spider-Man has been a beloved character for over 60 years. But could some people be put off by all the exposure?

There’s only fatigue if the movies are bad. If you continue to make outstanding Spider-Man movies — or any type of outstanding movies — the audience is going to turn up and truly appreciate it.

Is there an abundance of Spider-Man? Yes. But you don’t have to go see everything. But just wait for the good ones, like “Spider-Man: No Way Home” (2021) and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (2023). Those are, in my opinion, in the top three Spider-Man films ever made.

Spider-Man’s legacy has established itself from the comic books through live-action and animation. How does the hero’s character connect to the strength of the franchise?

It all boils down to an audience member being able to look at that character and seeing themselves or someone they know reflected back in it. And that’s not the case with most of these other Marvel movie characters. You don’t know someone who’s a billionaire genius like (Iron Man) Tony Stark, or somebody who has anger issues like the Hulk.

But you see that relatability in “Across the Spider-Verse”: Miles is racing to get home with those two cakes in time for his father’s retirement party, and he has to continuously stop because of the crimes he has to foil. And who can’t relate to those issues? They might seem small scale, but when they’re happening to you, it’s massive. I was always loved that about the character.

Any final thoughts about “Across the Spider-Verse” or the Spider-Man franchise?

“Across the Spider-Verse” is one of those films that warrants the big screen attention. Part of the experience of watching it is seeing it in a crowded theater where people share these reaction moments — especially with the cliffhanger.

If you’re one of those people that only goes to see one or two films a year, I would make “Across the Spider-Verse” one of them. I don’t think there will be many better films between now and the end of 2023.

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