Based on the comic book character of the same name, Madame Web tells the origin story of how she got her powers. Taking place in 2003, the film shows a younger Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson), who is a paramedic in Manhattan.
Director SJ Clarkson approached the movie from a psychological thriller angle rather than the usual superhero tropes, as Cassie doesn’t have superhuman strength or the ability to shoot webs. While this concept is interesting, it does limit how much these characters are able to do in action sequences. Mostly, the action scenes ended up being car chases or the characters running and hiding from the film’s villain, who intends to kill the three teenage girls in order to protect his future.
Johnson’s performance was hindered by the awkward dialogue, distracting from her arc of growing from someone who actively avoided building emotional connections to someone who realizes having people who care about you isn’t such a bad thing. The script also forced characters to make obscure choices that seemed to be out of the convenience of serving the plot rather than earned.
The Spider-Women
Madame Web also starred Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor, and Isabela Merced. Their characters, Julia, Mattie, and Anya, can be seen in the trailers in their respective Spider suits. While they looked fantastic in their suits during the action sequences, those moments were short-lived.
It’s clear this movie’s intention is to set up Madame Web and the various Spider-women in future Sony Spider-verse films. However, it really missed the mark with its messy script and clunky plot.
Watch our full review here:
