Gwen Stacy ( Hailee Steinfeld) is back in her universe, trying to keep her identity secret from her father, George ( Shea Whigham).

“Across the Spider-Verse” opens just over a year after the action of the first movie. It is a smart, thrilling piece of work that reminded me of other great part twos like “ The Dark Knight” and “ The Empire Strikes Back.” Like those films, it leaves viewers anxiously anticipating the next chapter (which will come in March 2024), and it earns its cliffhangers by grounding them in a story of young people refusing to submit to a concept of what a hero’s arc needs to be. The first note I took after seeing it was “so much movie.” Like the work of a young artist who refuses to be restrained by the borders of the frame, “Across the Spider-Verse” is loaded with incredible imagery and fascinating ideas. “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” explodes onto screens this week, building on the foundation of the masterful “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” with stunning animation, unforgettable characters, and complex themes.

My esteemed colleague Christy Lemire opened her review of “ Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” with a quote from her nine-year-old asking if he could see it again, so I think there’s some synergy in quoting my nine-year-old to open this one: “That might be the best movie I’ve ever seen.”

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