Spider-Noir

A big swing — oh, yes — that pays off from start to finish, this is an irresistible concoction, an utterly insane stew that somehow makes perfect sense. It is total joy.

"Spider-Noir" is one of the most exciting and creatively fertile superhero works to be released in the last couple years, and while it may be a bit batty, I think it's the bee's knees.

Stylish, amusing, and action-packed, it’s a stand-alone tale of spectacular proportions.

That the series houses its mad science experiments and cartoonish fight scenes in familiar packaging goes a long way toward keeping it accessible, but the charming eccentricities and their astute implementation add up to a Spider-story worth investing in — bring on the strange.

Spider-Noir hews closely to the familiar tropes of the detective tale, but it never feels like parody. It just feels like the answer to the question “What if someone made a 1930s noir about a P.I. with spider powers?” I cannot express how much pleasure I take in typing those words. It still makes no sense that this show exists. But it’s wonderful that it does.

It’s a sharp, often funny binge-show anchored by Nicolas Cage’s go-for-broke performance as Ben Reilly, aka The Spider.

Fortunately, there’s enough to the show’s plucky protagonists and rich sense of style to make up for its storytelling shortcomings. In fact, Spider-Noir is far better than such a frivolous spin-off has any right to be, with Cage deserving of high praise as the lynchpin that holds it all together.

The various and intertwining plot lines in “Spider-Noir” aren’t as gripping and visceral as, say, the recent “The Penguin” series. Much of my enjoyment stems from the consistent nods to the films of the period, from the music choices, e.g., “Dream a Little Dream of Me,” to the atmospheric cinematography, to tributes to films such as the pre-code “Below the Sea” (1933) starring Ralph Bellamy and Fay Wray, to the James Cagney vehicle “Great Guy” (1936).

Not only in terms of the action, which was never expected to be quite on the same level as movies with much bigger budgets, but also in how certain emotional moments did not have quite the same punch, or a few villains ended up being more generic than expected. Still, Spider-Noir is a winning story for this new live-action side of Spider-Man, and, hopefully, it can continue to improve with a second season and more.

Cage's effortless charisma and undeniable likability alone are enough to hold interest. It may not be for everyone, especially for hardcore comic fans expecting something much grittier, but it's also hard to deny that Spider-Noir is just a heck of a lot of fun.

Periodically, Spider-Noir is, indeed, a hoot. It’s too bad you have to wade through so much nondescript storytelling to get there.

The best you can say about Spider-Noir is that it’s a noble, but ultimately failed experiment. Its lead clearly set out to create a character who didn’t feel entirely like a human being; what he got was one that never really feels like a person.

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.