TL;DR – A short but powerful look at our own demons.

Disclosure – I watched this on Sony’s YouTube.

Warning – Contains scenes that may cause distress.

The Spider Within Review –

As we patiently wait for the third part of the Spider-Verse series after Into the Spider-Verse and then Across the Spider-Verse, it was nice to hear that we were getting a short film in the universe. This is an excellent idea because you can keep the interest in the series up while getting to tell some more intimate stories that might not have fitted in a large feature. With that in mind, let’s dive into The Spider Within.

So to set the scene, Miles (Shameik Moore) is walking home, but is feeling the weight of all his different worlds crushing in on himself. His schoolwork is floundering, but he is out saving the world, and that disconnect can only continue for so long. Not even his father (Brian Tyree Henry) and his offer of pizza and scary movies can help. But what happens when that disconnect breaks down?

As far as short films go, this is on the short side, coming in at about just over five minutes once you take out the credits, but they pack in a lot in those few moments. The Spider Within, going from the subtext to the literal horrific text, was not something I was expecting, and I probably should not have watched this at night. They play on images and feelings that hit hard if you have had a panic attack before, the sheer isolation within your own mind. I have never felt something so fundamental as the moment Miles accidentally slams the door and escalates the problems by another step, even though that was the last thing he wanted to do. All the visual elements that you expect from the series are there, and they help make that impact work a little harder.

In the end, do we recommend The Spider Within? While it is filled with some unsettling imagery, the focus is on the ending, and that is what makes the emotional impact. Look it is five minutes, go check it out, or just watch it below. If you liked The Spider Within, we would recommend to you The Rooster.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Have you watched The Spider Within?, let us know what you thought in the comments below, feel free to share this review on any of the social medias and you can follow us Here. Check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 

Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of The Spider Within
Directed by – Jarelle Dampier
Screenplay by – Khaila Amazan
Based on – The Marvel Comics
Edited by – Arthur D. Noda
Production/Distribution Companies – Columbia, Marvel Studios, Sony Pictures Animation, Sony Pictures Imageworks, Lens & Sony Pictures
Starring – Shameik Moore & Brian Tyree Henry
Rating – Around an Australia: M;