Promotional Photo Shared by Sony
Warning! Spoilers ahead for “Madame Web.”
To answer the question that nobody asked, “Madame Web” was just horrible. Sony already has a bad reputation for producing failing films in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). One of the biggest questions that has been asked is why this film even exists.
I, alongside many people, believe that it’s just a pointless film. Not everyone needs a movie nowadays, but Sony has insisted on giving even the smallest character a story.
When the film was announced, the only film to have been released in the SSU was “Venom,” a film beloved by fans and slaughtered by critics. “Morbius” was in production at the time, and ended up being one of the worst comic book movies ever created. Due to this, fans had low expectations for the film from the start.
Once actresses Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney ended up getting the lead roles, fans began to have hope for this film. However, after the first trailer released, fans went rampant over dialogue from the film that is both lazy writing and cringeworthy.
After multiple failures in marketing, the film still ended up being a mess. After releasing on Valentine’s Day it was slammed by critics for errors that even the average viewer would notice.
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate this film a three. Personally, I feel there are more negatives to this film than positives.
On a positive note, the action sequences by the Spider-Women and Ezekiel Sims are enjoyable. It’s just sad to say that they all lack screen time in their supersuits, which all are extremely accurate to Marvel Comics.
The CGI is surprisingly decent, considering how “Morbius” failed to provide even the simplest graphics.
When Madame Web sees alternative futures before they happen, I found it to be quite an interesting way to set up the plot. It was also creepy seeing moments repeating in different ways.
However, the worst thing about this film was the acting. It truthfully seemed as if the majority of the actors did not want to work together. There was no synergy between Madame Web and the Spider-Women until the end of the film.
It also seemed as though there was little to no emotion shown. Even in moments that were supposed to be uplifting, Johnson’s character failed to show any kind of feelings.
The acting in the film was far worse than the unnecessary subplot of the birth of Peter Parker. Sure, it was cool seeing Madame Web prevent Parker’s death, but the story could have easily progressed without any of the Parkers.
Adding onto this, Uncle Ben’s backstory was changed. Instead of being an electrician, he was a paramedic. Although it worked in the film, I did not enjoy the change.
Another character whose backstory was changed was Sims’. Personally, I believe that Tahar Rahim’s performance was the most authentic in this film. That said, Sims is not a villain in the comics.
He is instead an old man who used a ritual to gain Spider-Man-like powers. With these powers, he performed good deeds comparable to average superheroes. Plus, he was one of the biggest benefactors to the Spider-Society due to his immense wealth.
When it comes to cinematography, there were sudden cuts which I felt abruptly moved time forward. As well, there are some moments in which the camera quickly zooms in on a character’s face while they speak, even if it’s just simple dialogue. I feel shots like that should only occur when danger is near.
I would recommend this film only to diehard Marvel fans. This film wasn’t really necessary, nor does it tie into anything. It was difficult to watch, but was not the worst Marvel film ever.
It is unknown what the future of the character Madame Web will look like. Additionally, it is unclear whether the universe it’s set in is also home to characters such as Venom and Morbius.
Hopefully Sony has a plan for the characters that it’s introduced. Before this year is over, Sony is releasing two more films in association with Marvel: “Kraven the Hunter” and “Venom 3.”
”Madame Web” is currently in theaters, playing in both IMAX and regular formats. Tickets can be purchased online.