No, It's Not Just You: Across The Spider-Verse's Audio Issues Are Irking Some Fans
It goes without saying that "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is many people's most anticipated film of 2023. It's the follow-up to the Oscar-winning "Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse" that's been five years in the making. It has quite a legacy to live up to, and if reviews are any indication, it's soaring over most people's expectations. The animation is top-notch, and it takes the characters in a darker, more mature direction with a plot that places the fate of the entire multiverse at stake. However, it appears there's at least one thing that's dampening people's enjoyment of the film in theaters.
Numerous online threads have emerged of viewers discussing how the sound mix felt off, at least at the beginning of the movie. In the official "Across the Spider-Verse" discussion thread on Reddit, many people chimed in, implying this is a nationwide issue that isn't localized to just a couple of theaters. For instance, Redditor u/DeleteriousEuphuism wrote, "Did anyone else's theater have sound mixing too low for characters compared to the music? Other than that, this movie was an absolute treat."
Other people chimed in, saying they noticed it during the opening sequence, which features a voiceover from Gwen Stacy while rhythmic drumming plays. Apparently, the music's so loud it's difficult to make out anything Gwen says to the point where people are already looking forward to the home release so that they can rewatch the scene with subtitles.
Phil Lord sent out stickers to projectionists
Reddit isn't the only place where Spidey fans are voicing their frustration. Similar comments have emerged on Twitter as well as a thread on ResetEra, and it would appear the people behind the movie have become well aware of the situation. "Across the Spider-Verse" writer and producer Phil Lord tweeted some pictures of stickers he had made up to send to movie theater projectionists that read: "I played Spider-Verse at full volume because I'm awesome." He went on to explain, "The movie mix is really dynamic and comfortable at full volume. In a full house it might even be better at 7.5!"
It would appear not everyone has received the memo yet, as plenty of people commented underneath Lord's post to talk about their audio mix issues. The common complaint is that the dialogue is too quiet when the film starts and gets drowned out by the music, and it seems to be a recurring issue regardless of what format (IMAX or Dolby) people see it in.
Some people who work in theaters mentioned how they would abide by Lord's guidelines, but it may take others some time to receive word. That means fans who saw it last night may have had issues with the film that those who plan on seeing it in a week or two won't experience. But everyone seems pretty good about making the best of the situation.
Audio issues aside, Spidey fans love Across the Spider-Verse
Not being able to hear what Gwen's saying at the beginning of "Across the Spider-Verse" can be cumbersome, but it's clear most fans love this movie regardless. The film currently has a 95% positive rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and people can't stop raving about it on Twitter. It just goes to show how people are willing to overlook minor technical issues when the product as a whole is wonderful.
Under Phil Lord's tweet, fans discussed their personal experiences with the audio mix, but many were quick to remind him that the film is fantastic. Twitter user @seaninthemiddle even joked, "It was too quiet in my theater tonight. Guess I'll have to go see it again. And again. And again." On top of that, the film is such a visual spectacle that even scenes of just two characters talking are filled with splendor. It makes sense there are people like Redditor u/HaughtStuff99 who pointed out the audio issues but how they came secondary to everything else: "Eventually I stopped paying attention to that because the movie sucked me in."
Hopefully, projectionists get word of the best settings to use for the film's audio. But if they don't, people will still have a good time. "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" is playing in theaters now.