“Madame Web” may reside at the top of “the worst movies ever released in theaters” list, but not because of the creators. While this article tackles the movie through a typical review, it also analyzes Sony’s misfire as a whole.
When the man who killed Cassandra Webb’s (Dakota Johnson) mother resurfaces to hunt down a group of teenage girls he believes will kill him in the future (Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O’Connor), Webb discovers the secrets of her past and her power to see into the future, changing outcomes in the blink of an eye.
The script proves the most glaring flaw of the movie. Because the writers do not care about the subject material, their dialogue comes across as flat and tries to mimic the Marvel writing style. There’s even a line spoken to a young Uncle Ben (Adam Scott), a stupid nod to his well-known fate: “What? You’ve never been shot at in Queens?”
In addition to the horrendous script, “Madame Web” features some of the worst ADR, the practice of filming new dialogue after production finishes and placing it over original footage. “Madame Web” abuses this fairly common film tool to the point that the audio fails to match up with the performer’s original performance. In one scene, the villain (Tahar Rahim) speaks but his mouth stays completely closed. This lack of care makes for hilarious moments but drags down the narrative.
The last sin of the film comes with the performances. No one except Adam Scott feels like they care. Everyone feels straight out of a CW show, but who can blame them? The film prioritizes constant Pepsi ads and references to better films rather than telling a substantial story, neglecting its stellar cast with prominent actors.
Numerous aspects stand out as horrible, not because of the writers, director, actors or crew. It comes down to the Sony executives who want to replicate the success of Marvel and milk the Spider-Man universe. For the past few years, blockbusters have no longer been prioritizing quality narratives, rather they greenlight movies to mint money.
Despite the disappointing aspects, a few redeeming moments make the viewing experience somewhat fun. The suits for the Spider-Women looked well-crafted despite their underutilization and a few jokes sprinkled throughout get audible giggles thanks to Scott’s witty deliveries.
“Madame Web’s” horrendous ADR, rushed script and poor performances make the movie a bad film. While not the fault of the creative team, the release of this film shows corporate greed on full display, serving as a reminder that audiences should understand their worth as consumers and only see films that care about what movies have always been about: telling good stories.
½ obvious Pepsi product placements out of 5
