DIRECTOR: SJ Clarkson
PRODUCER: Lorenzo di Bonaventura
WRITERS: SJ Clarkson & Claire Parker & Mark Sazama & Burk Sharpless & Kerem Sanga
PERFORMERS: Dakota Johnson Sydney Sweeney Isabel Merced Celeste O'Connor
Tahar Rahim Emma Roberts Adam Scott Mike Epps
Ever since it's conception with 2002's Spider-Man, the spider-universe has undergone a lot of entries and changes. More than twenty years later, along comes a new entry in town... this one. But where this tries to live up to the hype to where past Spider films have, this one unfortunately fails. Big surprise there, considering the title character is a major part of the franchise Sony is desperately trying to expand and hold on to. This is the review of Madame Web.
Madame Web is a character from the Spider-Man comics who was depicted as a foreseer of the future with Spider-like abilities. Unlike the Peter Parker or Miles Morales personas, she was recruiting other Spider-like heroes to fight her battles, instead of fighting them herself. Dakota Johnson embodies what we see here as an origin story of how Madame Web became to be. While that is the main focus of the film, it almost tries too much to top all the others that came and went. Johnson's performance is what carries the film, she's come a long way since her Fifty Shades days and is showing no signs of slowing down. But it may be a while before she can bounce back up from this one considering how less than engaging this was.
Perhaps the best thing about this film is the villainous portrayal of Tahar Rahim as the main antagonist of the film. With him, you don't know what's going to happen next until... BOOM! Even in the beginning your off guard until he makes his move. As the film goes on, he gets deeper and deeper into his journey as he tries to prevent the future Spider-heroes from fulfilling their destinies as well as avoid his date with death itself. Rahim actually keeps you on the edge of your seat and entertained. Like the way Arnold Schwarzenegger did with a futuristic character he did forty years ago in the heart pounding classic The Terminator. But like that one, Rahim's character was on a mission and was just as relentless here than any villain ever seen.
From the writing to the pacing as well as attempts to connect to the magic started from twenty years ago, nearly everything with this is a toss-up between a hit and miss. Like a plane struggling to keep up the momentum but having trouble with one of it's wings. This one doesn't fly very high except on a few occasions such as the villain as described earlier, or the special effects involved. They at least have some effect on you because given the ability Johnson's character possesses, because this is an origin story, you see how her predictions come and go. If anyone remembers the Final Destination franchise, you get the drift here. That's another pro about this film that's easily likeable and worthwhile. The blending of premonitions of the future and the webbing are just so innovative and well thought. But it doesn't save the film from complete disappointment.
SJ Clarkson delivers an interesting but what could have been better entry into Sony's Spider franchise. Had more homework been done and consideration been put into this one, maybe the film would have been more engaging, and worthy of the time and effort put into this. Not this was a waste of time and effort, but it could have been more if the structure here was well conceived and well thought out before being put to film. While Madame Web and her web connects here future soldiers together, the web fails to connect with the screen presence and the franchise levels where they have succeeded and/or failed here and there. Should a sequel be produced, the only thing expected is for that one to be more to the first and true to the source itself, if not the first film itself alone. So better luck next time with this one moving forward.