A new superhero is in town, but is she around to stay? Madame Web, the EMT-turned-fortune teller, may not be the success the Marvel franchise was hoping for.
“Madame Web” was released in theaters on Feb. 14 and was directed by S.J. Clarkson, who is known for his Marvel series, “Jessica Jones.” Currently, the film holds a mere 12% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 26% on Metacritic.
In a reversal of normal conventions, “Madame Web” tells the origin story of one of the most mystifying Marvel heroines. Cassandra Webb (Dakota Johnson), a paramedic in New York City, gains the power to see the future after a freak accident.
When the lives of three girls — played by Sydney Sweeney, Celeste O’Connor and Isabela Merced — become intertwined with hers ,she is forced to confront her past, realizing that she can use her visions to save their lives from imminent danger.
This movie was a hard-watch. It moved slowly and the plot felt all over the place. The action scenes were comedic, the dialogue was lacking and at some point, it felt like the actors stopped trying.
Making matters worse was the film’s confusing storyline. Since Madame Web can see into the future, there was a lot of back-and-forth between the soon-to-be present and the actual present. It was often difficult to follow the plot and keep track of the timeline.
The lack of good acting and storytelling was outstanding. “Madame Web” looked like a movie that Marvel spontaneously threw together with no effort, relying on their previous success as a franchise to receive money and praise. Instead, it flopped at the box office.
Hopefully, the horrendous feedback from critics and audiences worldwide wakes Marvel up and makes them realize that at the bare minimum, they have to try.
Rating: 1.5/5