The sterling reputation of the Spider-Man franchise led viewers to anticipate great things from Marvel and Sony’s newest movie “Madame Web,” which premiered on Feb. 14. However, the movie failed to live up to its expectations because of its predictable plot line, surface-level characters and dull script.
The movie follows the main character Cassie Webb, played by actress Dakota Johnson, as she explores her supernatural powers. This leads to her uniting with three teenage girls Julia Carpenter, Anya Corazon and Mattie Franklin played by Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor to protect them from a villain relating to her mother’s past. Through her discoveries, Cassie uncovers more about who she is and what she must do to protect the three girls.
The villain, Ezekiel, appears to have been an important acquaintance of Cassie’s mother. He reveals his ability to climb on walls like a spider.
Because of the previously well-known cast, including fan-favorites like Johnson and Sydney Sweeney, there was strong potential for great acting and emotional depth in the characters. However, the relationships between Cassie and the teenage girls developed too quickly and stereotypically. The quick shift from disliking the girls to feeling responsible for them was unrealistic and ultimately disappointed viewers.
However, the movie also included many jumpscares with an overall eerie vibe, giving viewers a thrill that enhanced the movie and gave it a depth that we don’t see in all Spider-man movies.
Despite the mysterious tone, the plot was shallow and predictable. In contrast to other Marvel movies that include elements of surprise and different plot twists, “Madame Web” followed a typical narrative arc that was boring for viewers as it could be easily anticipated early on. The storyline was unoriginal and felt like a compilation of other marvel movies put together into one.
The script was generic and full of unnecessary, cheesy lines that hindered the plot and development of characters. Both the dialogue between the characters and the various monologues felt cliche and lacked substance. When Cassie goes to visit Santiago to search for answers, a friend of her mothers, she is told, “When you take on the responsibility, great power will come.” This line felt extremely easily anticipated, and much of the script reflected similar, predictable writing.
One of the movie’s strengths was its action scenes and its visual production in general. The special effects that were included with Cassie’s powers added to the plot and helped give the movie extra excitement.
At the end of the movie, I was left with unanswered questions about the plot, the characters and the resolution. Most Spider Man movies feature a climax filled with surprise and excitement, however this movie lacked this key element. Cassie’s fate seems unexplained and unrelated to the rest of the movie. Additionally, the future of the three teenagers is unresolved and there are no hints for what might happen next.
Despite the popular actors and eye-catching special effects, the two-hour film was not satisfying. “Madame Web” failed to reach its potential and was not worth the watch.
