Examining post-cinematic form and post-continuity, this analysis focuses on the 2023 animated film Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse.

This movie is a good example of post-continuity because the editing is quick, the style of the visuals changes suddenly, and the story is told in pieces. Rather than unfolding in a linear or traditionally coherent way, the narrative jumps between moments, creating a fragmented yet dynamic viewing experience. The scenes use a mix of 2D and 3D animation, comic book panels, and graffiti art to make a kaleidoscopic effect that makes you feel like you’re getting too much information in the digital age. These stylistic choices not only pay homage to the comic book origins of the character but also mirror the sensory overload of contemporary digital life. The movie doesn’t follow the normal rules of continuity. Instead, it uses color, sound, and patterns that repeat to hold things together, providing a sense of cohesion amid the visual and narrative complexity. Bordwell’s (2023) most recent work on “intensified continuity” in big-budget streaming movies is like this, highlighting how modern blockbusters increasingly rely on heightened editing and stylistic flourishes over traditional storytelling techniques.

Additionally, the film’s emotional arc is derived from powerful, instantaneous reactions evoked by affective set pieces, action, music, and visual spectacle rather than from linear storytelling. Rather than building emotion through gradual character arcs, the film emphasizes immediate, visceral responses that connect viewers to the characters’ experiences in the moment. The multitasking, associative logic of Gen Z viewers who grew up with TikTok and YouTube Shorts is reflected in this “new structure of feeling” (Shaviro, 2021), as audiences are accustomed to processing multiple streams of information and shifting between different modes of attention.

Thus, Across the Spider-Verse illustrates how post-cinematic form and post-continuity influence how stories are felt, processed, and remembered in a networked media environment, in addition to how they are told. The film not only exemplifies the aesthetic shifts of the digital era but also demonstrates how cinematic storytelling is adapting to the habits and sensibilities of contemporary audiences.

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References
Bordwell, D. (2023). Intensified Continuity Revisited: The Visual Style of the Streaming Era. Film Quarterly, 76(4), 45–61.
Shaviro, S. (2021). The Rhythm-Image: Post-Cinematic Affect Revisited. Screen, 62(2), 246–259.
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse – Official Trailer.” (2023). YouTube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shW9i6k8cB0