Simply stated, let’s move this in front of us: Despite its February 14 release date, the film “Madame Web” does not feature its most well-known quote. Only the teaser makes sense of what it says, that “moment when a thousand memes were launched” (at least in my small corner of the internet). Dakota Johnson plays the new Pyramoidic Case Web competitor in the movie, but she doesn’t remark in it, “He was in Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders before she died.” These are all sentences from the movie, delivered by S.J. Clarkson in a way that combines guidance and helplessness, yet they are never related to one another in that sequence.
For those who were hoping to see Madame Web for its speculative camp, this might be disappointing. There are plenty of other absurdities in the movie, particularly in the last few minutes, but Madame Web is also a mystery in a way—she’s not bad, but she’s also not great, and she’s not passive like most memes would be. It’s an odd movie, and what makes it most interesting is how brutally unsettled its existence is.
This movie appears to be related to the Spider-Man universe, but it is hesitant to link itself to that story directly. In 2003, Adam Scott’s character Casey Bane Parker, along with his companion and ambulance partner, are not destined to become Peter Parker’s (Spider-Man) uncle and tragic aunt. Despite the fact that Bane’s niece Emma Roberts is expecting a child named Peter, his name is never stated. The fact that Madame Web was specifically referenced at the end of the movie, prior to Sony’s contentious move to whitewash the character and make it more standalone, may have a significant influence on certain viewers. However, in the editing room of theaters, it’s merely an odd diversion—depending on your level of adventure, Madame Web is either overly brazen or the victim of a needless heist operation.
What is our current sentiment on superhero movies? If the latest box office numbers and reviews are any guide, it’s not that good. Madame Web resembles the aftermath of a recently concluded Goo-Goo Head Day, a dangerous endeavor that would have been marginally better seven years prior, when IP Beryl was at least partially discovered. Or perhaps not. The film functions as a throwback to the period preceding Iron Man’s acceptance of the first satirical novel, with Holly Berry’s caustic relationship with the destructive Catwoman (2004) serving as a more stylistic nod to her recent departure from Marvel Factory. Whether Clarkson is intentionally doing this is the question. He has been adding elements to his movie for a while now (a first bonus ball, reference to Martha Stewart’s imprisonment), but it’s possible that the 20-year-old clichés in the movie have evolved into a semi-satirical half. Again, the likelihood of Madame Web having self-awareness is higher.
For the most part, the film is a low-volume Pepsi commercial. Johnson is a minor actor who gained recognition for her parts in Suspiria and Fifty Shades of Grey. Here, the choice of actors is unfortunate due to their use of stupid language that works well, particularly given the setting of the movie where certain acts are needed but are restricted to the sarcasm and venom of improvisation. In a similar vein, Sydney Sweeney is one of the three young females that Taher Rahim’s Ezekiel Sims has targeted. Rahim’s character is restricted to tracking the underage and is technically cheating on Zosia Mamet. Rahim is an inspector Spider-Man (not Spider-Man).
Celeste O’Connor and Isabella Merced, Sweeney’s equal-status actors, are portrayed as vibrant performers with comparatively small roles. The objective of Madame Web‘s climax, which features a potential follow-up movie with Sweeney, is to showcase the superhero genre’s grandeur. Every character involved is caught in the brand’s ambiguous predicament. The only real assurance someone truly possesses is their sincere enjoyment of sipping Coca-Cola on a steamy New York City day. (Or, at the very least, going to New York City and acting like Boston.)
Having said that, I thought Madame Web was a pretty good movie; it’s primarily a visual depiction, with Johnson’s acting having a remarkable blend of liveliness and coldness and Clarkson’s use of color. The movie has a subplot about two women who are destined to be together and who like each other so much that they want to steal together one night. Madame Web becomes a coffin wrapped in a rickshaw and more intimate than the sensationalism of the MCU films of the next days because to Johnson’s wit, which is as dry as London Gin.
However, Johnson gets lost in the maze of explanatory jargon just as the plot is about to pick up steam and reach something akin to an action climax. Furthermore, Clarkson never effectively utilizes Casey’s magical abilities. Rather than suggesting Casey’s genius in the future, potentially it may make him a cunning young man able to sense his opponents’ heartbeats mere moments before they occur. Rather, she collides with a few vehicles and ignites the fireworks depot, narrowly escaping destruction with a cunning move. It seems to me that Madame Web wants to fully realize her potential in a potential sequel that exists somewhere in our multiverse imaginations.
Conclusion:
To sum up, the movie should be a lot of fun because it primarily depicts the worst-case scenario and is full of vivid colors created by Clarkson and a performance that is both remarkably chilly and vibrant by Johnson. The movie contains a story about two women who are destined to be together and who strive to keep each other alive by wanting to steal together one night. Madame Web becomes a coffin wrapped in a rickshaw and more intimate than the sensationalism of the MCU films of the next days because to Johnson’s wit, which is as dry as London Gin.
