Nicolas Cage’s ‘Spider-Noir’ Is a Beautiful Bore: TV Review
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Aramide Tinubu
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Based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man Noir, and adapted for television by Oren Uziel, Prime Video’s latest superhero series, “Spider-Noir,” follows an older web-slinger living in New York City during the Great Depression. Fledgling private investigator Ben Riley (Nicholas Cage in his first lead role on a television show) has long abandoned his superhuman alter-ego, The Spider. However, when his past comes knocking, he is forced to confront it. Though beautifully shot in both color and black-and-white — the viewer chooses which one — “Spider-Noir” is a lackluster, repetitive retelling of the same old vigilante tale audiences have seen time and time again.
“Spider-Noir” opens in New York City roughly 15 years after the end of World War I. Ben Riley reflects on his days as The Spider, when he slung around the city, keeping crime at bay and drinking in his spare time. As The Spider, he was thriving. He was even set to propose to the love of his life. Yet, he reflects that falling in love during this period was a fatal error on his part, and five years later, Ben has fully embraced his cynicism. The Spider is squarely in his rearview, and his P.I. business is staying afloat by the sheer will of his no-nonsense secretary, Janet (Karen Rodriguez).
Things take a turn after Ben and his business when he is hired to follow alluring nightclub singer Cat Hardy (Li Jun Li), and his investigation takes him in many unexpected directions. A photograph leads him to City Hall and to the desk of corrupt Mayor Alfred Morris (P. J. Byrne). Later, he winds up on the doorstep of notorious Irish mob boss Silvermane (Brendan Gleeson), whose reign of terror in the city includes murders, illegal speakeasies and a multitude of other criminal enterprises. Ben is unwavering in the face of political pressure and organized crime, but he doesn’t expect to encounter other types of monstrosities. What he and his best friend, journalist Robbie Robertson (Lamorne Morris), uncover is so shockingly dangerous that Ben is forced to take on the role of The Spider once again.
“Spider-Noir” is visually stunning, and the alternative versions are fun to watch. (I switched back and forth between color and black-and-white after every episode.) Yet, the show fails to nail the decadence of true Old Hollywood film noir. The series is beautifully detailed, with all the costuming and settings defining 1930s New York City, but it has a shiny 21st-century sheen that doesn’t let the story fully settle into the genre. Moreover, while “Spider-Noir” features many noir tropes, including the cynical antihero and the femme fatale, the narrative is so excruciatingly predictable that it strips the plot of any intensity or excitement. The illicit affair in the series even feels wooden and out of the blue, because the characters at its center don’t have any romantic chemistry.
Beyond the setting, nothing truly differentiates “Spider-Noir” from Tobey Maguire’s, Andrew Garfield or Tom Holland’s run of “Spider-Man” films, nor does it offer anything distinct or fascinating to the superhero genre overall. In fact, by the end of Episode 1, most viewers with any minor knowledge of U.S. history will likely piece together the direction of the entire season. This isn’t to say reimaginings of varied franchises can’t be done. HBO’s “The Penguin” sits squarely in “The Batman” universe while delivering a truly enthralling depiction of Gotham, its players (no matter how recognizable) and a distinct version of a character that has been portrayed countless times. Unfortunately, “Spider-Noir” plays it far too safe.
Though the series has a solid cast and some sparkling depictions of a bygone era, “Spider-Noir” is all style and very little substance. At a time when audiences are already fatigued by the continual depictions of metahuman supers who wrestle with whether to remain anonymous or use their powers for good, this story is hardly unique. Also amid the saturation of P.I. dramas on TV, including “R.J. Decker,” “Tracker” and “Poker Face,” “Spider-Noir” is easily lost in the shuffle. If viewers are to be subjected to yet another version of the wall crawler, it will need to be captivating and deeply emotional, which is why the Holland-led “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” is so highly anticipated. Anything less is just monotonous.
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