Spider-Noir Arrives With Strong Critical Reception: Here's What Reviewers Are Saying

The live-action adaptation of Marvel's Spider-Man Noir has arrived, bringing Nicolas Cage into the role of Ben Reilly, a struggling private investigator navigating 1930s New York who becomes the city's sole protector. The character grapples with personal loss while confronting his shadowed past in this period-set take on the superhero genre.

The ensemble cast includes Lamorne Morris, Li Jun Li, Karen Rodriguez, Abraham Popoola, Jack Huston, and Brendan Gleeson.

Season 1 debuted on Prime Video today, May 27, and the critical response has been largely positive. The series currently holds a 91% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside a 93% audience score.

Major publications have weighed in with their verdicts. Financial Times awarded it 4 out of 5 stars, observing that while audiences have grown weary of declining-quality sequels, shows of this caliber prove capable of delivering sophisticated, mature storytelling with genuine originality.

The Daily Telegraph similarly gave it 4 out of 5, framing the project as both a homage to classic noir detective cinema and a fresh examination of superhero mythology.

The LA Times characterized it as an ambitious undertaking that achieves a reasonably period-authentic presentation of the source material, despite certain imperfections.

Vulture positioned the series within Cage's broader filmography, describing it as another entry in the actor's compelling, unpredictable career trajectory, though noting its reliance on familiar IP mechanics.

AV Club offered a more tempered assessment with a C- grade, suggesting that while the series represents an earnest creative attempt, it ultimately falls short of its ambitions. The review noted that Cage's portrayal achieves an inhuman quality that prevents the character from achieving full humanity.

Slant Magazine gave it 2.5 out of 4 stars, highlighting the show's commitment to maintaining its atmospheric tone without resorting to meta-commentary or references to larger franchise crossovers.

Empire Magazine delivered enthusiastic praise, calling it an audacious venture that succeeds throughout its run, describing the series as an unexpectedly harmonious blend of disparate elements that generates genuine entertainment value.