When I review movies, I genuinely try to look for the positive and try not to mock the filmmakers' efforts. Any criticism that I have is to educate and to elevate storytelling, not to poke holes or nitpick. With that in mind, there are not a lot of positives about "Madame Web".
The film boasts a well-known cast with actors like Dakota Johnson ("Fifty Shades of Grey"), Sydney Sweeney ("Euphoria") and Adam Scott ("Parks and Recreation"). Similarly, there are some characters in this movie who have genuinely interesting backstories, like Ben Parker. The moments which explore those backgrounds are the highlight of the film.
I can honestly say that "Madame Web" is one of the worst movies that I have ever seen. There were multiple times that the audience audibly laughed at moments which were not meant to be funny. The acting is poor, the script doesn't do the actors any favors and the story takes too long to develop. Not only that, but for a movie advertised as an "action film", there is little to no action.
In filmmaking, there is a common practice called Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR). Simply put, the actors will record replacement lines in a sound booth after a scene has been shot. Filmmakers use this technique to change dialogue when a line is muffled or when the script is altered in post-production. There is a surprising amount of ADR used in this film, specifically with the villain, Ezekiel Sims. Not only is his replacement dialogue off-putting and unnatural, but often it doesn't match the actor's mouth. This is one of the contributing factors which makes Ezekiel the worst comic book villain that I have ever seen on the big screen, and I have reviewed over 90 comic book films.
"With great power comes great responsibility." That line from the original "Spider-Man" film is one of the most well-known and respected pieces of dialogue in comic book history. There is a line in this movie when Madame Web is told "When you take on the responsibility, power will come." This insulting change of a beloved quote perfectly explains this film. There is no vision, no heart, and no real purpose. If you are going to see the movie, I would suggest going to see it in theaters, because watching it with a laughing audience makes for an enjoyable theater experience.
Best Character: Anya Best Quote: Not "I've never said this before, but you're a really good teacher." Best Scene: Not the CPR scene.
Best Piece of Score: "Forgiveness"
The film boasts a well-known cast with actors like Dakota Johnson ("Fifty Shades of Grey"), Sydney Sweeney ("Euphoria") and Adam Scott ("Parks and Recreation"). Similarly, there are some characters in this movie who have genuinely interesting backstories, like Ben Parker. The moments which explore those backgrounds are the highlight of the film.
I can honestly say that "Madame Web" is one of the worst movies that I have ever seen. There were multiple times that the audience audibly laughed at moments which were not meant to be funny. The acting is poor, the script doesn't do the actors any favors and the story takes too long to develop. Not only that, but for a movie advertised as an "action film", there is little to no action.
In filmmaking, there is a common practice called Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR). Simply put, the actors will record replacement lines in a sound booth after a scene has been shot. Filmmakers use this technique to change dialogue when a line is muffled or when the script is altered in post-production. There is a surprising amount of ADR used in this film, specifically with the villain, Ezekiel Sims. Not only is his replacement dialogue off-putting and unnatural, but often it doesn't match the actor's mouth. This is one of the contributing factors which makes Ezekiel the worst comic book villain that I have ever seen on the big screen, and I have reviewed over 90 comic book films.
"With great power comes great responsibility." That line from the original "Spider-Man" film is one of the most well-known and respected pieces of dialogue in comic book history. There is a line in this movie when Madame Web is told "When you take on the responsibility, power will come." This insulting change of a beloved quote perfectly explains this film. There is no vision, no heart, and no real purpose. If you are going to see the movie, I would suggest going to see it in theaters, because watching it with a laughing audience makes for an enjoyable theater experience.
Best Character: Anya Best Quote: Not "I've never said this before, but you're a really good teacher." Best Scene: Not the CPR scene.
Best Piece of Score: "Forgiveness"