Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is an animated movie that captivates audiences of all ages. The flick is a fast-paced, funny, and uplifting ride through several different universes. It was released December 14th but I feel that this movie will continue to engage, motivate, and astound audiences for many decades to come.

Now I know what a lot of people are thinking: “Why in the world do we need another Spider-Man movie?” There are already three other renditions of the wall-crawler to hit the silver screen. We know the origin story of Peter Parker, why do we need to see it again?

This movie is unlike any other Spider-Man movie to date.

To begin with, the protagonist of the movie is Miles Morales, an African-American and Puerto Rican teen from Brooklyn. Miles’ ethnic identity is not the focus of this movie, but it is part of what makes this movie so impactful. The representation of minorities in comic books and movies is monumental. Now, I’m sure many people can name a black superhero, but I would bet money that very few people can name any Puerto Rican superheroes. The representation of people that come from similar backgrounds is so empowering for minorities because we aren’t always shed in the best light and we often aren’t depicted as the hero of a movie, let alone a superhero movie. It means so much to be able to look up at the screen and know that everyone is rooting for someone that looks like me. It transcends just being cool, it infuses pride in my being. It’s unorthodox and uplifting and I can’t until one day, that’s the norm.

Another aspect that sets this movie apart is the visuals. Each scene looks like it was pulled right out of a comic book. The colors pop! The characters are framed fantastically. At any point in this movie, one could pause and the shot would be beautiful. It’s evident that a lot of time and effort went into crafting such an aesthetically-pleasing film. One really has to watch the movie to fully understand the stellar cinematography that makes up this movie.

One of the greatest aspects of this movie is that it rewards that audience for being fans of Spider-Man. The movie is astounding without any context of previous Spider-Man lore, but it is also enriched by the allusions to previous Spider-Man movies and comics. The movie is packed full of Easter eggs that will delight the dedicated Spider-Man enthusiast.

Finally, this movie tugs at the audience’s heartstrings like no other Spider-Man film before it. I won’t spoil anything, but just know that if you cry while watching this movie, you’re far from alone. Your heart will swell, dance, and shatter all within the span of about two hours. I make no exaggerations when I say that this movie is truly touching. Make sure you see it. Your heart will thank you.