Spider-Noir review: a pulpy joke taken too far
The Verge • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Sony's Spider-Noir series on Amazon is a comedic, noir-inspired take on the Spider-Man universe, focusing on Ben Reilly, a brooding vigilante turned private investigator, rather than directly continuing from the Spider-Verse films.
- Despite its stylish black-and-white aesthetic and nods to classic crime dramas, the show suffers from a weak narrative, relying on overused Spider-Man themes and inconsistent tone that undercuts its potential.
- Nicolas Cage stars as Ben Reilly, delivering a performance that oscillates between quirky humor and somber reflection, but often lacks the charm that made his Spider-Man Noir character in the animated films successful.
- The series diverges significantly from the original Spider-Man: Noir comics and the Spider-Verse portrayal, resulting in a character and story that feel underdeveloped and less engaging.
- Spider-Noir premieres its eight episodes on MGM Plus on May 25th and on Amazon Prime on May 27th, but overall it is seen as a missed opportunity compared to Sony's previous acclaimed Spider-Man projects.