June 8, 2023 – If it seems like there is a multiverse of movies about multiverses, you are right. There are probably more movies about multiverses than there actual multiple universes.

If you haven't gotten tired of this kind of storytelling about multiple realities, here comes another one, which is actually an animated sequel to another animated movie about multiverses (“Spider-Man; Into the Spider-Verse” 2018) making this, I think, the third Spider-Man movie about multiple Spider-People from different universes (the other one being “Spider-Man: No Way Home” 2021). And this isn't the end, either. This film ends in a cliffhanger, and is to be followed by “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,” scheduled for release in 2024.

After sitting though this, I was disappointed that this movie is only the first part of a longer story, particularly since this is movie is over two hours long, in fact, at 140 minutes, it is the longest animated film ever released by an American studio. Fortunately, I did not have to pay to see this movie, so that took some of the sting out my disappointment.

This sequel picks up 16 months after the time line of the 2018 movie, with an older (but still teen-aged) Spider-Man (Miles Morales) still trying to balance his schoolwork and superhero duties. He is stretched thin and is under a lot of stress. Meanwhile in another universe, his old flame Spider-Woman (Gwen Stacy) is having problems of her own. During an encounter with a cross-dimensional criminal, she finds herself adopted by an elite Spider-Man corp of multiverse-traveling superheroes, who prevent her from being arrested at the last minute.

Equipped with a high-tech bracelet which enables her to travel to different universes, she decides to visit Miles Morales in his universe. After a bittersweet visit, she opens a portal to go back to her own universe, and Miles impulsively follows her. They both end up chasing a supervillain called Spot, who also has the ability to travel to different universes.

If that's not complicated enough, it turns out that the head of the elite multidimensional Spider-Man force, Miguel O'Hara, has got it into his head that Miles' father must die in two days or the universe will fall apart, or something like that. Miguel tries to imprison Miles, but he breaks free with some help, and sets off to save his father's life.

The fact that Miguel knows what is going to happen in the future implies some kind of destiny, or time travel, which is not explained in the movie. At any rate, events indicate that Miguel's theory that tragedy must befall every Spider-Man in order to maintain balance in the multiverse seems to be mistaken, and Gwen and Miles are out to prove Miguel wrong.

If that's not complicated enough, there's more. It turns out that the radioactive spider that bit Miles in the first place, giving him those spider powers, was from another universe, number 42, to be exact, because there is an actual number 42 on the spider itself, in case you missed it. Miles ends up in universe 42, and finds a very nasty surprise waiting for him there.

There may be a point to all these ridiculous complications, but we'll have to wait until next year to find out. This movie rates a B.

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