Madame Web Review – Spins Slowly, Passable on OTT
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Director: S.J. Clarkson
Writers: Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless, Claire Parker
Ahahahahaha… “Madame Web” is so boring in parts, but also really entertaining in bits and pieces, so now that it’s on Netflix, you could consider streaming it online if you missed watching it on the big-screen. It’s definitely not a big-screen attraction, not only is the story set in 2000s, even the gaudy special-effects look like they are from two decades ago.
Dakota Johnson plays protagonist Cassandra Webb, a paramedic who starts having glimpses of the future after an accident. So when she sees a spider-man like evil guy murdering three teenagers in her visions, she sets out to save the girls, eventually learning more about her own powers and potential. Unfortunately, the creators take more than half an hour to get to the main story! Things only begin to get entertaining post the 40 minute mark, when Cassandra finally understands she can really see the future and then sets off to save the girls, who are all strangers – Anya Corazón (Isabela Merced), Julia Cornwall (Sydney Sweeney), and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor).
You could probably just watch the first seven minutes, which is like a prologue chapter, and then skip to the 33rd minute and you might not even realize that you missed anything. Dakota Johnson as Cassandra Webb is a work-in-progress, since she isn’t sure what’s happening to her for most of the runtime. But Cassandra’s impromptu savior/babysitter act with the three teenage girls targeted by an evil villain called Ezekiel Sims (Tahar Rahim) is an engaging plot-point. The creators should’ve spent more time on the misadventures of Cassandra, Anya, Julia and Mattie, while they are all on the run from Ezekiel, instead of spending almost half an hour showcasing Cassandra’s life as a paramedic.
Tahar Rahim, as the primary antagonist, isn’t very intimidating and comes across as a generic villain with limited screen time. Perhaps someone with more screen presence could have elevated the role. It doesn’t help that the action sequences are limited, but on the other hand, the special-effects weren’t great anyway, so maybe more pow-wow wouldn’t have made a different. “The Marvels”, which also features an all women-led cast scores better with its cinematography and action scenes versus “Madame Web”.
There’s spirited teamwork among the women leading up to the climactic fight, making the final “good versus evil” face-off quite entertaining. “Madame Web” had the potential to be a memorable superhero film, but due to its haphazard storytelling, slow start, and weak villain, it ends up being mediocre at best and nearly unwatchable at worst. If you enjoyed watching “The Marvels”, you might just enjoy this movie, it’s got some good early 2000s energy to it. Besides, there’s always the “fast-forward” button.
You can stream “Madame Web” on Netflix.
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