Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is getting a lot of attention right now, and for good reason. It has a bold visual style that connects with Spider-Man’s comic book roots. It has heroes who aren’t all boring white guys. And even the soundtrack is solid and well implemented. In a time when superhero movies are feeling a bit drab and same-y, ‘Spider-Verse is a breath of fresh air.
But while we’re giving the film its well-earned credit, let’s not overlook one of its most noteworthy characters: this is the best Aunt May (Lily Tomlin) we’ve ever seen on film.
The story of Spider-Man resonates with us because it’s a natural metaphor for anyone’s coming of age. We grow into new power, and new responsibility, and sometimes we struggle to understand who we are in those new contexts. Within that metaphor, Aunt May is a stand-in for our parents and grandparents, the people who remind us of where we came from, and what we value — even if we, like Peter, don’t always tell them all the details of what we’re going through.
The genius of Aunt May’s portrayal in ‘Spider-Verse is that she’s so much more than a comforting face and a cup of tea, but at her core she’s still that same grounding, paternal figure. ‘Spider-Verse gives us an Aunt May who’s smart and tough, but doesn’t sacrifice the essence of…
