Every year brings one or two movies that turn into critical punching bags. Unfortunately for the increasingly muddled, confusingSony Spider-Man Universe, which has yet to actually feature Spider-Man after four films,Madame Webis that movie for the year thus far.Madame WebfollowsDakota Johnsonas Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who develops clairvoyant abilities and must protect three young women who are destined to become heroes in the near future. Sony has taken an unusual approach of building out the early days of this cinematic universe with characters who are largely not known to the general moviegoing audience, save for two surprisingly fun, charmingVenomfilms withTom Hardy.
Madame Web and Dr. Morbius, (the latter of whom headlined his owndisastrous movie in 2022 starringJared Leto) are not household names, but their characters offer a lot of interesting potential in the hands of a studio that wants to do something creative. These films feel pretty lazily thrown together, with the filmmakers, cast, and crew given no real sense of direction about how they might connect, or what the story will even be about.Madame Websuffered greatlydue to rushed changes made to both the script and the edit on a studio-level, and if there’s one person who is certainlynot to blame for the film’s failure, it is Dakota Johnson.
Madame Web
Cassandra Webb is a New York City paramedic who starts to show signs of clairvoyance. Forced to confront revelations about her past, she must protect three young women from a mysterious adversary who wants them dead.
Dakota Johnson Brings the Right Energy and Tone to ‘Madame Web’
Dakota Johnson feels more aware of the kind of movie she is in than just about anybody involved in the making ofMadame Web. Johnson tends to bring a particular vibe to her roles that some audiences find monotonous or disinterested, but her somewhat awkward, subdued affectation really works depending on the part. She’s also given performances in films likeSuspiriathat proveshe is more than capable of doing something big and different. But the energy Johnson brings toMadame Webis pretty perfect for the film.
Cassandra Webb is written as a cynical, burnt-out person who has no ambitions to be seen as a hero. Her powers are thrust upon her unexpectedly. She reacts the way you’d expect a real person to, as she is unwillingly roped into a deadly adventure. Johnson plays Webb as frustrated, confused, tired, and just over it all. This is not a characterization seen in many superhero movies, and it givesMadame Weba comedic edge that is not entirely unintentional. Many viewers have notedMadame Web’s status as a movie with a lot of unintentional comedy, but it is clear that some of Johnson’s best moments in the film aremeant to be funny.
This is especially evident in the sequence where Webb sits at Mary Parker’s (Emma Roberts) baby shower and awkwardly explains that her own mom died during childbirth, to the horror of everyone else in attendance. The way Johnson plays this scene is key to understanding what she’s bringing to the movie. Johnson’s humorous approach is one bright spot in an otherwise dull movie.
‘Madame Web’ Didn’t Commit to Its Bold Ideas and Exciting Potential in the Spider-Man Mythos
In spite of the efforts of Johnson, and a lot of talented people involved in the film like directorS.J. Clarkson(who directed a great early episode ofSuccession, “Prague”), andSydney Sweeney,Madame Webfails to stand out in the right ways among the massive pool of superhero films.The movie’s early 2000s aesthetic made it stylistically interesting, and the early vision sequences hinted at some kind ofFinal Destinationmeets Spider-Man story that could have gone over well, butMadame Webtakes forever to commit to any one idea.
Sydney Sweeney’s Biggest ‘Madame Web’ Fight Was With Her Wig
The convoluted plot was the least of her worries.
Madame Webis further proof of the superhero empire starting to dwindle, with studios scrambling to throw anything at the wall. If this is the approach you take, you end up with movies that feel unfinished, uncaring, and unremarkable.Madame Webis a premise that offers interesting story-ideas, and great potential with a wide variety of characters, some beloved and some new, but every risk the film takes is miscalculated. Reserving the “good stuff” like getting to see Johnson, Sweeney, or anyone else in the film actually put on a super-suit and fight somebody, for a few brief vision sequences of the movie we could’ve had is a terrible call. Those sequences don’t seem notably promising, but they at least offer somethingmore than a story about Uncle Ben’s coworkerdefeating her foe with fireworks and a Pepsi sign.With Uncle Ben and Mary Parker in the story, and the film ending with Mary’s unnamed child being born, this film comes frustratingly close to actually tying into a Spider-Man story in a meaningful way, backing off at the last possible minute.
Despite Sony neglecting to have any sort ofcohesive vision for whatMadame Webshould have been, there are a few hints at a good version of this movie buried somewhere. While Johnson’s performance is one of the few things that works in the film,her experience making the film seems to reflect how audiences feltabout it. During the hilarious press-run for this movie, Johnson not-so-subtly distanced herself from the project, and expressed thatherMadame Webexperiencehad pushed her from wanting to work in franchise filmmaking. That means we probably shouldn’t expect aMadame Websequel anytime soon, or ever. The best thing that could come out of this mess is that Sony realizes what hasn’t been working with this attempt at a franchise, and gives the filmmakers and performers more leeway to do what they do best.
Madame Webis available to watch on Netflix in the U.S.
Watch on Netflix
