“Madame Web” is a superhero film that delves into the origin story of the enigmatic character Madame Web, portrayed with charisma and depth by Dakota Johnson.
Directed by S.J. Clarkson–a filmmaker making their feature debut–the movie offers a fresh take on the superhero genre, albeit with low stakes compared to other entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
This isn’t a traditional Marvel film as many anticipated. Instead, Sony produced the movie as well as many other Spider-Man films.
Sony has experienced both successes and challenges with its Spider-Man characters. The franchise has seen various iterations, including Tobey Maguire’s portrayal in the early 2000s, which garnered significant box office success.
However, Sony’s attempts to create a standalone Spider-Man universe outside of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have faced mixed reactions from fans and critics.
While Tom Holland’s portrayal of Spider-Man in the MCU has been widely praised, Sony’s solo ventures, such as “The Amazing Spider-Man” series, received a more lukewarm reception.
In “Madame Web”, Johnson’s performance shines as she embodies the role of a paramedic discovering her arachnid-based psychic powers, adding layers of complexity to the character.
The film follows Cassandra Web, a paramedic who acquires clairvoyant abilities after a life-altering event, setting her on a path to becoming the iconic Madame Web.
Despite Johnson’s engaging portrayal, the movie falls short in delivering a compelling narrative, with a plot that feels repetitive and messy at times.
Director Clarkson makes the visuals of the film extremely chaotic, leaving the main character to explain these bizarre happenings.
While this could be at times for comedic effect, the movie doesn’t portray this well enough to the point where viewers can excuse these excessive explosions.
Although the film was engaging, action packed, and overall hilarious, this is mainly due to Johnson as an actress.
Yet it is very easy to see that this was not her “passion film”. This can be due to aspects like the film’s inconsistent writing, pacing issues, and overall lack of coherence.
When asked on the Tonight Show by host Jimmy Fallon when she’ll see the movie, Johnson said, “I don’t know when I’ll see it. Someday.”
The film has garnished an immense amount of hatred, however the main complaint I had was regarding the side character.
The supporting cast, including Tahar Rahim as the expedition sponsor Ezekiel Sims are supposed to add depth to the story, yet ultimately there are no character arcs for them, the only character that really matters is Cassandra.
With a $52M global opening, due to horrid reviews, it has been written off as a box-office flop. It also only is seen to have one singular star on Rotten Tomatoes.
Despite its flaws, “Madame Web” offers moments of pure camp and entertainment, embracing its superhero roots with a hint of self-awareness.
Johnson’s performance, coupled with the film’s nods to classic superhero setups, ensures an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.
Yet, for viewers seeking a more profound exploration of character and plot, “Madame Web” may leave them wanting.