“Madame Web”, review: absurd and mediocre

Madame Web brings nothing new to the table. For the past ten years, Sony has strived to create a universe related to Spider-Man, where, curiously, the hero does not enter. So he tried his luck with an anti-hero I– and everything didn’t go so bad – and then, with Morbius , with which he had terrible results. The fact is that the studio is trying to put together its own spider-franchise as best it can, in which it hopes, presumably, to include Tom Holland’s version. But while this is happening, he makes all sorts of mistakes, failing to put together a quality overall cinematic script. Perhaps his most successful attempt is the animated adventures of Miles Morales. But for now, he has done nothing in his irregular project. live actionhad the same success.

The film is Sony’s most ambitious attempt to date to achieve the same level of success that its animated feature films have achieved. To do this, place accents on similar places. First, it requires different versions of the heroes in Spider-Man’s world to convey the idea of ​​a larger reality. Cassandra Web (Dakota Johnson) is the center of a narrative that flows in several different directions. An obvious reference to the comic: the character has psychic powers of foresight. But unlike the original, this is about a young version seeking to understand its capabilities.

On the other hand, it’s about presenting Cassandra’s origin story as the beginning of a larger universe. Which is also connected with the very existence of all versions Spider-Man . Like Miles Morales, Johnson’s character is part of a chain of events to which she appears to have no connection. It’s beyond your ability to predict them. But not knowing what causes them and where they go together. Of course, this is only the first level of what should become an argument, and some of them overlap.

An idea that might have worked if the script, co-written by Matt Sazama, Burke Sharpless, Claire Parker and the director herself, had been less vague and generic. The psychic heroine the film presents is woefully limited and awkward. Moreover, when the boundaries between reality and what can be perceived are shown in the plot through a series of fragmentary scenes that lead nowhere. Thanks to mediocre digital effects, the world that Cassandra can perceive fades between scenes rather than being a mystery to be solved. In fact, one of the film’s biggest flaws is the sense that past, present and future they clumsily complement each other in a meaningless chronology.

That’s because trying to hint at a prequel – after all, Cassandra can see the future and predict possible arachnids that will be born – turns into a mess of premises. Is the New York City paramedic more than the center of a network (yes, that’s obvious) that stretches from her mother onwards? The plot insists again and again on telling this important nuance, suggesting that Cassandra is hiding a secret. But this is so obvious – so little developed and, moreover, brilliant in the story – that in the first half hour the plot has already revealed all its secrets. Namely: that Dakota Johnson’s character is able to foresee the future of his – as yet unrevealed – arachnid relatives.

The film is overpopulated with empty characters

After perhaps the only memorable scene that directly resembles the saga. Final destination– an argument that explains little begins to include well-known figures in spider universe.Everything is done in a chaotic, uneven and even ridiculous manner, turning the expected appearances of several legendary characters into scripted accidents. Time and time again, the plot emphasizes that everything is about power and the responsibility that comes with it. And of course, this suggests that Cassandra, who sees the future, has the greatest advantage of knowing what heroes will be born.

The film then fades away, becoming banal and with an unusual repetition of themes, telling them in the style of the superhero classics of the nineties. From duty to love, responsibility and fidelity. The film says so little about the characters that it’s just an excuse to move the story forward. This may seem like an homage—after all, it’s set in the late 20th century—but it’s actually cinematic awkwardness. Horrible editing throws the story into disarray, which ultimately becomes its worst enemy. Sometimes there is no way to tell if it is Cassandra in the middle of a vision or a scene taking place.

But things get even worse when introducing the rest of the characters. Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor) and Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced) are added clumsily and without much explanation to the central story. All this is connected with Cassandra’s visions and, in the appropriate structure, complement each other. But not only do they not do this, but they also appear in poorly choreographed action scenes. and that bad photographs by Mauro Fiore become blurs of shadow and color.

Separately, each heroine is connected with Cassandra and the strength of the film depends on this. Despite this, the script easily forgets this and everything seems to happen because of events that are explained off-screen or not explained at all. So much so that when the current villain, Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim), appears, his motives become murky. Once again, Sony is banking on a traditional Marvel character to also provide context and interact with the rest of the story. But he does not do this, so his desire for the probable spider woman remains almost a forced addition to the narrative.

Side stories without the slightest interest

The long-awaited appearance of Ben (Adam Scott) and Mary Parker (Emma Roberts) feels forced. This is not only obvious and poorly planned fan service But also, a feature film has the luxury of missing out on possible consequences. But since it doesn’t fully flesh out Cassandra’s options or change her rules, the plot only shows the couple seemingly indulging in the possibility of Peter’s existence. On the other hand, neither that future nor the idea of ​​what the prediction might mean is delved into, so the film drifts into oblivion.

What do you regret most? Madame WebIt’s the emptiness of the whole plot and the feeling of how much could have been. Let’s remember the trio spider womanCassandra is also on screen, to whom Johnson communicates the subtleties of vulnerability, which is appreciated. But beyond that, the film is a combination of terrible writing, cheap graphics, and an ending that has the unfortunate honor of being one of Sony’s worst. Another unsuccessful attempt to add to the studio’s already extensive list.