Summary
Madame Web was a film that garnered significant attention at the beginning of 2024, but not for any positive reasons. Sony Pictures’ most recent endeavor to produce a Spider-Man spin-off film that focused on one of his supporting characters without him was widely ridiculed prior to its release. The film appeared to significantly alter the main character beyond recognition, as evidenced by the much-mocked trailer that included the infamous line “he was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders just before she died,” which was mocked by John Mulaney at the 96th Academy Awards just a month later.
The film was a resounding failure at the box office and was lambasted by critics upon its release. Sydney Sweeney even mocked the film’s performance on Saturday Night Live just a month later, as the actors distanced themselves from it early on due to its poor performance. Nevertheless, Madame Web has performed exceptionally well on streaming platforms, as is the case with numerous similar films. It is more cost-effective to access a movie on Netflix than to attend a movie theater. Additionally, few individuals are willing to pay the ticket price to attend a theater and watch a movie ironically, even if they have heard negative reviews. Madame Web’s increased visibility has led to the question of whether the film is so bad that it is actually excellent or just bad.
Madame Web is unfavorable.
Madame Web is unsavory. Deplorable. There have been numerous instances in which a film, particularly a superhero film, was not well-received and subsequently received a critical reevaluation. Hulk, directed by Ang Lee, was initially met with widespread disapproval; however, it is now regarded as a daring artistic vision in a genre that frequently appears to be hesitant to allow directors to make a lasting impression. The Mandarin twist in Iron Man 3 caused a great deal of consternation among fans. They characterized it as “terrible,” but with the passage of time and the benefit of hindsight, the film has become a cherished addition to the MCU.
Even Spider-Man 3, which was widely derided and ridiculed by comic book fans upon its release, has recently been reclaimed as a result of the “Bully Maguire” meme and the revelation that Sam Raimi is capable of creating a superhero film, despite the fact that it is not Spider-Man 2. These three films are all examples of films that were initially disregarded by viewers but have since been reclaimed.
Madame Web is not one of those films. Initially, the three films previously mentioned received mixed to positive critical reviews upon their release. Consequently, it was the more vocal comic book aficionados who were dissatisfied with them. Critics and the general public equally dismissed Madame Web. Not every poorly executed superhero film was a gem that was misunderstood. There is a reason why films such as Green Lantern, Elektra, Catwoman, and Fantastic have not been the subject of cultural reappraisals. Occasionally, a film that is not particularly good is simply a poor movie.
This is not exclusive to superhero films. Although there are instances in which films that received conflicting reviews from critics and audiences ultimately became cult classics, there are also numerous instances in which a film that was unfavorable upon its initial release continues to perpetuate that negative perception. Madame Web will not be the next Speed Racer; rather, it will be more akin to the next Rollerball or The Master in Disguise Are.
Madame Web Is Too Uninteresting to Be That Bad
The presence of an intriguing element within a film is a significant factor in its ability to be so bad that it is excellent. Batman & Robin serves as an illustration of this. It is difficult to deny that the colorful toy-mandated aesthetics, campy, over-the-top performance, and baffling creative decisions do not render a moderately entertaining viewing experience, despite the fact that it undoubtedly has its faults. Although Wonder Woman 1984, a controversial film, is not the studio’s secure choice, it is replete with bold, ambitious creative decisions made by director Patty Jenkins. Although they may not be to everyone’s liking, the film remains a captivating work of art due to the director’s unique perspective.
Madame Web does not possess that. The visual language and performance of the film are so unremarkable that there is nothing to grasp onto. The film’s Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) is the sole noteworthy aspect. However, the film’s significant audio errors do not genuinely make the viewing experience enjoyable; rather, they serve to emphasize the film’s numerous shortcomings. The narrative was initially inadequate; consequently, they endeavored to rectify it during post-production, but their efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The potential of this film was shattered by the studio remarks. S.J. Clarkson, an accomplished television director who has directed some of the most exceptional television series, including Orange is the New Black, Jessica Jones, and Succession, is the director of Madame Web. It is evident that she is a gifted filmmaker; however, Madame Web does not appear to be her work. Rather, it is the product of a studio that did not have confidence in the filmmaker and only produced the film as part of a corporate mandate to expand the Spider-Man franchise by any means necessary. This wasted the time of the talented creatives involved and the audience.
Madame Web is excessively costly to be as detrimental as it is. It is satisfactory.
One of the reasons why films such as The Room and Birdemic: Shock and Terror are so entertaining to watch is that they are not only poor, but their ambition exceeds their budget. Both are films that are produced outside of the studio system and attempt to emulate a typical Hollywood film, but they fail catastrophically. However, the fact that they were unaware of the extent of the chaos they were creating is what made them amusing. It is evident that the budget constraints of these films resulted in some perplexing creative decisions. Consequently, the experience of viewing them was slightly more enjoyable.
Mystery Science Theater 3000 perfectly encapsulated the time-honored tradition of laughing at a cheap and terrible movie. A commonality among nearly all of the films was that they were all low-budget and of low quality. This was partially due to the budget, but it was also a result of the misguided attempts to recreate more popular films. Madame Web is undoubtedly an unsuccessful endeavor to emulate more popular films; however, it is costly and wasteful due to its substantial studio budget.
In contrast to the films that were previously mentioned, which were subpar due to their limited budgets, Madame Web is a major studio-produced film that received their complete backing. They are employing a character associated with one of the most significant intellectual properties on Earth and have prominent personalities. The film was so unremarkable and unimpressive that it appears to have been a complete waste of time and money, despite the substantial investment and potential. This was in possession of every available resource, yet it was unable to leverage it.