‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse’

With certain movies, I’ve become a big dork. I relish the fact that the technology has come along in a certain way so that filmmakers elicit a response of pure joy for me.

I love the color palette of the animated action-adventure “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” because what they did this time around actually duplicates the efforts of the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” of 2018.

During the movie, I had a smile on my face the entire time. Shameik Moore returns as our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. His character is still in high school, so he has to deal with all the normal trials and tribulations that normal teenagers have. His parents don’t know he’s Spider-Man, even though he has a very tight-knit relationship with them. Luna Lauren Velez (voice of Mom, Rio Morales) and Brian Tyree Henry (Dad, Jeff Morales) impress in their roles.

Hailee Steinfeld, a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee in 2011 for the “True Grit” remake, also returns as the voice of Gwen Stacy. When all is said and done, she really cares for Miles, but she can’t show her true feelings.

Multiple Spider-Men are woven into the story this time. Spot (voiced by Jason Schwartzman, on screen this summer in “Asteroid City”) is the adversary to Miles’ Spider-Man. His character has no identity. He’s just seen as a spot. A spot that holds disdain for Spider-Man.

The pace in this one is very kinetic. It doesn’t slow down even for a second, which propels the story forward nicely. Be forewarned, though, this is only Part 1 of the hero adventure. The next part isn’t scheduled until spring of next year.

It’s not easy to turn something this technical into a totally enjoyable animated adventure, but the new trio of directors, Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson, match the quality of the Academy Award winner of 2018.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is fun, but it needs to be seen on the big screen. It’s worth shelling out the extra dough.

Grade: A-