What more can you do with a superhero who has already seen three different renditions in the last fifteen years? The makers here have obviously not seen this rhetoric question as an obstacle. At a basic level, they give us a formulaic film like mainstream animation always does. It is a straightforward formula that we have gotten used to – setup, conflict, inspiration, and resolution, with no in-betweens, no breathing space where the characters are “living” or doing something not directly related to the plot. But every element and step in the formula here, works. No emotional beat in the screenplay feels out of place. Every joke lands. Every arc finds proper closure. Thus the story also stands solid.

As interesting as the concept is (off late, parallel universes and time-travel have become a cheatcode to make stuff engaging), the real magic in this film is in its visuals. The discovery of a new style of animation (and subsequently, an edit pattern too) makes it an enchanting big-screen experience. The way they have incorporated the texture and behaviour of comic books is one of the many beautiful things about the presentation. Since our memory can only hold so much, this one also ends up warranting a repeat watch for how treats keep coming for our eyes. Big, big win this for Sony and Marvel.