We’re over 80 years away from the end of the “classic” era of film noir. That’s enough time for the conventions of the genre to become ingrained in pop culture, fall out of fashion, and return to popularity. One could argue that the style and tone of noir never truly fell out. It simply changed with the times. Conversely, superhero properties have been going strong for long enough to need something fresh to pique viewer interest. They desperately need a change and have been stubborn to do so. Spider-Noir attempts to revitalize one genre while paying homage to the other.
Nicolas Cage, in his first TV role, stars as Ben Reilly, formerly The Spider, a masked superhero who does whatever a spider can. Since the tragic death of his wife, Reilly has retired the costume and settled into the role of a grizzled P.I. Don’t worry, this isn’t a “Surf Dracula” situation. Reilly’s back in the costume before too long, thanks to a complicated case that, in true noir fashion, only gets more complex the deeper he looks into it.
Cage is in fantastic form here, treating Reilly as both a broken man and a walking reference to Humphrey Bogart. There’s a cartoonish element to the performance that really helps sell the superhero part of the equation. He also plays wonderfully well with a cast of equally game players. Most notably with Lamorne Morris as reporter Robbie Robertson and Karen Rodriguez as Reilly’s assistant Janet. Not to mention the always welcome presence of Brendan Gleeson as the villainous Silvermane. It’s a stacked cast, but Cage remains the main attraction.
What really helps Spider-Noir land is the clear love on display for the genre. References to film noir’s heyday fill each episode, and the show’s visuals further enhance them. While Amazon gives you the option to watch in color or black-and-white, the latter is clearly the superior choice. The style pops, the setting fits better and, most importantly, it hides some of the dodgier special effects work. In general, “dodgy” is the best description for most of the superhero elements.
As is all too often the case, Spider-Noir works best when it focuses away from the superpowers. The show builds up such an exceptional case for Reilly as a detective that you forget he even has abilities. This is a show designed to play the classics, and it works best in that mode. With a fun cast and a delightfully pulpy Nicolas Cage at the center, the series succeeds at finding a new avenue for standard noir tropes. The constant nods to the genre’s past might rub some the wrong way, but for dedicated buffs there’s a lot to love. Besides, where else are you going to see Cage quote James Cagney?
Spider-Noir is currently streaming on Prime Video.