Madame Web

It's astonishing to think that Sony could put out a worse product than 2022's Morbius, but boy, "Madame Web" manages it. It is an embarrassing mess. Talented stars wasted on probably one of the worst comic book movie ever (which nobody asked for). Filled with atrocious dialogue, awkward editing and laughable structure. It's a clunky, poorly-written, messy, and sloppy movie packed with some mediocre editing and performances.

The concept is interesting on paper, but it couldn't be saved due to it's terrible execution. "Madame Web" simply lacked the spark it needed in nearly every dept.

There is simply nothing memorable in this movie, except maybe some superhero costumes, but that doesn't redeem the fact that the movie is bad.

So yeah..."Madame Web" is yet another disappointing entry in the Sony's Spider-Less universe. It's like a love letter to an era of superhero films that people largely want to forget. The "Pepsi" adds are stand-out, it falls short of what could have been a decent movie in the hands of someone else twenty years ago.

Madame Web is the fourth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe and depicts the origin story of Cassie Webb. The beginning felt awkward, with uninspiring performances from Kerry Bishé as Constance Webb (Cassie Webb's mother) and Tahar Rahim as Ezekiel Sims. The scenes were underwhelming and failed to engage the audience. The narrative then shifts to Cassie Webb's life, 30 years after her birth.

The story revolves around Cassie Webb attempting to save three young women from Ezekiel Sims, who is determined to kill them before they become Spider-Women in the future and ultimately end his life.

The writing could have been significantly better, and the poor editing was a major drawback. The transitions between scenes were jarring and disrupted the flow of the film. Dakota Johnson's performance was decent, and she looked stunning as always. However, Tahar Rahim's lackluster acting and poor dubbing severely impacted the movie's overall quality. Adam Scott and Emma Roberts were underutilized in minimal roles, while Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, and Celeste O'Connor were visually appealing but lacked strong performances.

S. J. Clarkson's direction was mediocre, although a few scenes, such as the chase sequences and train station moments, were executed well.

The background score and VFX were commendable, but overall, the movie failed to deliver a satisfying experience.

Final Rating: 4/10.

First Impression:

The opening of the Madame Web was immersed in a mystique and ambition, enhanced by great musical score; yet, as the movie progresses, it becomes a mixed bag and a rollercoaster of emotions.

The Positive:

Musical Score and Sound Design: The standout feature of "Madame Web" is its musical score. The soundtrack not only enhances the emotional depth of the film but also succeeds in creating in some moments genuine goosebumps. The sound design really enhances this impact by carefully using sound pans, bass, and reverse effects. It creates a sense of tension and immersion which is one of the film's strongest features.

The Mixed:

Visual Effects and Costume Design: Some of the visual effects in "Madame Web" were visually appealing. The costume design, like Casey's red jacket and the three spider girl villain outfits standing out as particularly stunning contributions to the film's aesthetic, but it was not often shown in the film since the films direction and focus was different. I was disappointed.

Acting and Direction: Although I thought Casey's character development - her ability to see the world from a different perspective - was great, I didn't like how it was visually presented. The way it was edited was poorly done. The editor could use 2 distinct color grading features where one sees the future and two, she sees the present moment.

However, The performances throughout the film feel lackluster, with the actors appearing confused and disengaged. This, combined with direction that fails to maintain interest or coherence in many scenes, significantly undermines the film's potential.

Negatives:

Cinematography: Cinematography is bad since some pictures don't show a clear image. The camera moves so fast that I cannot comprehend the picture. I kind of recognized that it tries to initiate the rapidness of the events from the spider's eye point of view but it was a tasteless decision. The Cinematography is not something like wow. The reason why Cinematography was lacking is because it was heavily based on medium closeups and dutch tilts which on one hand was a unique choice but on the other hand very hard to watch. I found the 180 degree round camera rotations super cool, but again, I expected varied distance shots, not just medium shots. The train scene Cinematography was the best in the film.

Editing and Pace: The editing is arguably the weakest element of "Madame Web," with its rapid cuts and disjointed flow detracting significantly from the storytelling. This lack of coherence makes it challenging for the audience to fully engage with the narrative.

Plot and Overall Execution: The storyline of "Madame Web" is cluttered and clichéd, suffering from a lack of originality and clear direction. The film's ambition is evident, but the execution falls short of creating a compelling narrative.

The Conclusion:

"Madame Web" presents a paradoxical experience, with exceptional music and sound design standing that sharply contrasts with its various flaws in editing, cinematography, and direction.

Although there are some visually and emotionally stunning moments, they are frequently overshadowed by a lack of coherence and clarity.

Also, I think this film would be reasonable and great to be incorporated in a TV series which would have allowed for a more in-depth exploration of characters and plot.

Nevertheless, Madame Web is a bit of a mixed bag, with moments of potential that ultimately leave the viewer something different visually.

Rating: 3/10.

I don't understand what the big problem is. Yes, the movie may not be the best superhero movie, but the low ratings aren't justified either. Overall, the story is sometimes told in a rushed manner and the script doesn't deserve an Oscar, but overall the movie was entertaining. To be honest, I was expecting the worst and I was biased because of the negative ratings. After watching the movie, I couldn't understand all the hate for the movie at all. I'm already reasonably discerning when it comes to movies, but guys, let's be honest, this isn't an art house movie, this is popcorn cinema. The movie is supposed to entertain and it did. Even if it was a bit bumpy in places. Overall, I can recommend the movie to people who just want to be entertained. Not more and not less.

Based on Madame Web's woeful reviews I was expecting this film to be an utter car crash. To its credit I will say it isn't entirely without merit, but it is incredibly boring and bland.

Mostly this is because nothing particularly happens. It's a superhero movie with little to no superhero action and a painfully long set up for an underwhelming final act. The characters are so underdeveloped that there is no emotional connection or investment in any of them. Everything about the story and writing just feels lazy, vacuous and corny.

Then there's the villain who is utterly uninspiring. He is constantly complaining about 'everything he has built' being destroyed. What has he built you might ask? The film has no interest in exploring this question. He's easily one of the more two dimensional and weak superhero villains I've ever seen committed to screen.

Perhaps the most heinous crime this movie commits is to waste the talents of Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Adam Scott, Emma Roberts, Zosia Mamet and more. Such a good cast was assembled and they were given absolutely nothing to work with, so I don't blame the performers. It's just such a shame to see such great talent put to the sword like this.

As if all of this wasn't enough, the movie also feels remarkably low budget and feels excruciatingly long despite its relatively short runtime.

Ultimately I think this film suffered because it was clearly intended as a set up for a wider Spider-Woman franchise which is unlikely to come to fruition. There seemed to be no interest in making a good stand alone movie, and no respect for the audience. A massive waste of time.