‘Spider-Noir’ Review: This Isn’t Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man

Remember when Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse collectively blew our minds? It wasn’t just Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) thwipping into our hearts in that movie; it was the supporting cast filled with other web-slingers as well. One of those supporting characters was Spider-Man Noir, voiced by the incomparable Nicolas Cage.

Once the news broke that the black and white 1930s-era superhero was getting his own live-action spin-off, fans dreamed that Cage would reprise his role for the series coming to Prime Video. Thankfully, the stars in the multiverse aligned, with Cage committing to his first-ever TV role, bringing a much more unique flavor to the character in Spider-Noir.

What is ‘Spider-Noir’ About?

In Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, we learned that every Spider-Person experiences the tragic death of a loved one, or Canon Event, that drives them to become a hero. In Spider-Noir, Ben Reilly suffers the death of his beloved Ruth (Whitney Rice), a moment that drives him to hang up his suit and retire as The Spider, because he doesn’t believe he is a hero.

Instead, Ben focuses on his skills as a private investigator, aided by his secretary, Janet (Karen Rodriguez). Until he is lost in a web involving Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), who works for the mobster Silvio Manfredi a.k.a. Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson). Simultaneously, a group of new superpowered individuals starts wreaking havoc on the city, forcing The Spider to swing back into action as its only hope.

How is ‘Spider-Noir’ Different From Other Spider-Man Stories?

To be clear, this is not the same version of the character fans saw in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse; that version was Peter Parker. With this live-action iteration being Ben Reilly, it proves that this particular series exists in yet another universe. While Reilly in the comics is usually a clone of Peter Parker, it’s very clear that this is not the case for Spider-Noir.

Unlike the many versions of Spider-Man that have been represented in many different media, The Spider is not as friendly as his multiversal counterparts. He uses guns, is a private investigator instead of a reporter, served in the war, has organic black webbing, and truly believes he is not a good person. This makes this season a true hero‘s journey for Ben Reilly, one that is portrayed by Ben showing his true colors (even if you watch this in black and white) as he continues to put the well-being of others above his own.

Even though the way the villains in this series get their powers is a bit different from what audiences have seen before, fans get a mix of well-known and deep-cut villains from the Spider-Man rogues’ gallery. Lonnie Lincoln a.k.a. Tombstone (Abraham Popoola), Flint Marko a.k.a. Sandman (Jack Huston), Dirk Leydon a.k.a Megawatt (Andrew Lewis Caldwell), and Molten-Man (Jack Mikesell). If fans are lucky enough to get a Season 2, so many different villains would be amazing to see in this setting.

Nic Cage Shines in His Small-Screen Debut

Spider-Noir is part gritty noir thriller, and part over-the-top, almost cartoon-level fanfare. The only actor on planet earth that could be the glue to such a project is Nic Cage, who seamlessly swings between the drastically different tones the project presents. Without his performance, this whole idea could have fallen flat on its face, but luckily, Cage is there to balance the tones and make them all work in the context of the story being told.

The action won’t knock your socks off either, but it fits the show’s vibe perfectly. The Spider’s costume looks incredible on screen, and when he takes to the skies to web-sling, it looks even better. Hats off to Cage when he is in the suit, and to the stunt team that brought every piece of that to life.

The main thing holding this series back from being truly great is the lack of strong emotional resonance throughout the narrative, which is a major calling card for other Spider-Man-focused stories. The characters are rich, but the story just doesn’t dive deep enough to hit you in the feels, which may come if Prime Video continues the series with future seasons.

Spider-Noir is unlike any other superhero project out there. It’s Sam Raimi‘s Spider-Man meets Sin City, anchored by a spectacular performance from Nicolas Cage. It’s not the most mind-blowing piece of superhero media fans will watch this year, but it will probably be the most unique one. The series is available to view in both authentic black and white and true-hue full color, but it is recommended to watch in black and white. To fully immerse yourself in that 1930s noir aesthetic.

All episodes of Spider-Noir premiere on Prime Video on May 27. Subscribe to the Agents of Fandom podcast and YouTube channel for more Spider-Noir coverage!

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