You Know What?... Sony's MADAME WEB Was Not A Bad Movie

You Know What?... Sony's MADAME WEB Was Not A Bad Movie

Madame Web is perhaps one of the most hated superhero films out there, and arguably the most unpopular Marvel feature released by Sony so far. However, all things considered, Madame Web is not a bad movie.

Editorial Opinion
By DanielKlissmman - Jun 01, 2025 01:06 PM EST
Filed Under: Madame Web

Let's get it out of the way: Yes, I know — I have s$@t taste in movies. That comic book film you despise? Yeah, that one; the one that evokes feelings of hatred so intense, it makes you want to puke? I probably found some enjoyment in it. So, let it all out. Release your frustration and anger at me.

Believe me, considering what I'm about to say — and I say this without the slightest hint of sarcasm — I will understand you... Madame Web is not a bad movie. It was, in fact, okay. 

Wait... What?

Ever since its fateful release in February 2024, Madame Web has been treated as the scourge of the comic book genre. If you were to hear about the movie without having watched it, you'd not be faulted to believe it kicked someone's goldfish and subsequently stepped on a special-edition steelbook of The Dark Knight signed by Christopher Nolan himself. Yet, that's a pretty unfair take on Cassie Webb's big-screen story. 

Now, I'm not saying it's a great movie... but it is decent. It's enjoyable, with a lot to appreciate about it. For starters, I love Dakota Johnson's Cassie Webb. While that could be partially attributed to the fact that I'm a Johnson fan overall, I genuinely liked her take on the character. Having known Madame Web as a wise elderly woman looking out for the common good for so many years, it was interesting to see a young version of her who's largely disinterested in interacting with people.

I also enjoy the concept of Madame Web having to protect a group of future superheroes from a villain hell-bent on killing them. Another welcome aspect of the project is its (albeit, brief) exploration of Peter Parker's family and support system before their destined role as the ones who shaped him into the superhero we know. For example, we get to see Ben Parker as not just an ideal, but as someone with personality quirks and a pretty laid-back attitude.

To top off the above, a lot of the performances in the film are pretty good, including Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celeste O'Connor. No one is Oscar-worthy, but they didn't need to be. The actors convey their characters' motivations and feelings well, which often allows you to get lost in the story, and feel like you're actually in Madame Web's world. 

Not Everything Was Good, Though

Madame-Web-Cassie-Powers-Image

 
Hold up. So far, you've successfully held off on hitting me with your bats, pitchforks and whatever else you plan to use to teach me a lesson in film quality. Keep doing it for just a bit longer. Madame Web is not a masterpiece in any way, shape or form. So, before I dig a deeper hole for myself, I'll say this — I understand why people don't enjoy it.

Madame Web has a lot to dislike. For one, there's its villain, Ezekiel Sims. With no desire to speak ill of actor Tahar Rahim, his character did not work, and his ADR-heavy dialogue took me out of the story more times than I care to count. The Pepsi ads were also extremely blatant, to the point where I genuinely felt like I was watching a TV commercial at times. 

The movie reportedly went through a heavy retooling process, and it was rumored to have been intended as a prequel to Andrew Garfield's The Amazing Spider-Man films. There was also concept art released showing Tom Holland's Spider-Man battling Ezekiel. This retooling is pretty obvious in certain scenes, which makes the film feel artifical at points. Overall, given what we know about the original plans for the project, it seems that, had Sony stuck to them, it would have delivered something that felt more genuine.

Now, Baby Peter Parker is still there, but he's of no real consequence to the plot. Instead, the story boils down to Madame Web having a chance encounter with three young women destined to become superheroes down the line. Yet, while that's not, admittedly, as exciting as the concept of Spider-Man-centered prequel, it still made for a decent story on its own.

(As an aside, even if Spidey's role was minimal, I stand by it: The film delivered a pretty cool Easter egg when Cassie mentioned Uncle Ben having no idea what he was in for with Peter. I'm not ashamed to admit that made me jittery with excitement. Am I easy to please? Maybe, but damn it, that got me.)

So, yes, I can see the faults in Madame Web's spider-shaped stars, and I believe its reported original concept would have delivered a much better movie than what was released, but my point is: Ultimately, what we got was not offensively bad. It was... okay; good, even. 

While it didn't break new ground for its genre, it was an interesting story based on a Spider-Man supporting character that would have likely never even stepped close to the big-screen had it not been for the current superhero-movie craze the film industry is in at the moment.

It makes some weird choices regarding Spider-Man's mythology, but for your average moviegoer unfamiliar with Peter Parker's lore, they're simply story beats. It was an inoffensive movie with bad elements, but that overall was a decent enough product not deserving of the vitriol it receives (and it will continue to receive, likely for many years to come).

So, come on, give Madame Web another shot. You might end up enjoying it.

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Blergh
Blergh - 6/1/2025, 1:02 PM
Personally, it was WORSE than Morbius, Kraven and the Venom movies. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that it's the WORST Marvel adjacent movie ever made.

The main character is unlikable, the plot is chopped to pieces, the supporting cast is reduced to stereotypes and not even the action, the minimum you expect in a superhero movie, worked.
GeneralZod
GeneralZod - 6/1/2025, 1:07 PM
@Blergh - Regarding the worst Marvel adjacent movie ever made, I don't think anything beats Josh Trank's 2015 Fantastic Four. That was a horror show. At least Madame Web had
User Comment Image
Lisa89
Lisa89 - 6/1/2025, 1:12 PM
@GeneralZod - At least Madame Web had… wonky eyes?
incredibleTalk
incredibleTalk - 6/1/2025, 3:17 PM
@Blergh - Tell this guy to Look at the flowers..I got something for him!
TK420
TK420 - 6/1/2025, 3:32 PM
@GeneralZod - Your bath soap come in yet?
HistoryofMatt
HistoryofMatt - 6/1/2025, 1:07 PM
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kylo0607
kylo0607 - 6/1/2025, 1:10 PM
It's one of the worst movies I will never bother to see or touch with a 10-foot pole.
incredibleTalk
incredibleTalk - 6/1/2025, 3:25 PM
@kylo0607 - Anyone that calls this a "comicbookmovie" should be banded!
SpideyQuad
SpideyQuad - 6/1/2025, 4:44 PM
@kylo0607 - I'm not saying it was good or bad because I didn't watch it. I don't waste my time with Sony anymore, but how can you have an opinion if you didn't watch it? Unless you're just a follower.
JonAwesome
JonAwesome - 6/1/2025, 1:11 PM
Dakota Johnson was horribly miscast in this. Her blah face and emotionless acting definitely made this a worse movie. The movie is still crap but with a better Lead actress it could have been ok.
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/1/2025, 1:29 PM
@JonAwesome - Dakota was not the problem. The script was horrendous.
Pathogen
Pathogen - 6/1/2025, 1:36 PM
@JonAwesome - Is there anything that she has been cast correctly in?
Lisa89
Lisa89 - 6/1/2025, 1:41 PM
@JonAwesome -
@Pathogen - She exhibited great acting and was very charming in ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’ (2019).
mountainman
mountainman - 6/1/2025, 1:54 PM
@JonAwesome - Dakota was terrible, but the guy playing the villain was the worst actor in it. The ultimate villain though was the atrocious writing.
Pathogen
Pathogen - 6/1/2025, 5:41 PM
@Lisa89 - Ah, I haven't seen her in that. I've seen her in quite a few things, and she's always the dead spot in the movie
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/1/2025, 1:16 PM
Oh him again
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 1:21 PM
@AllsNotGood - Oh, yeah, baby. The dummy with the terrible taste in movies (me) is back!
McMurdo
McMurdo - 6/1/2025, 1:29 PM
@DanielKlissmman - at least you're consistent.
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 2:17 PM
@McMurdo - I’ve been meaning to tell you — for some reason, with your username, my brain automatically reads it as “Matt Murdock”
Nolanite
Nolanite - 6/1/2025, 3:04 PM
@DanielKlissmman -
How are you doing today Josh or Chandler?

It would be nice if you simply just admitted that you are one in the same. Is your multiple personality disorder kicking in hard recently?

Nice try with your shitty intentions.

Nolanite out
AllsNotGood
AllsNotGood - 6/1/2025, 3:09 PM
@DanielKlissmman - like most marvel fans
DarthOmega
DarthOmega - 6/1/2025, 1:18 PM
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TheyDont
TheyDont - 6/1/2025, 1:24 PM
Look at that moron
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 1:26 PM
@TheyDont - That’s fair.
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 1:35 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - I understand how you feel about it. It’s just, to me, it’s an enjoyable movie, you know? It has its faults, but I don’t understand why it’s so disliked
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 1:59 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - Oooh, yeah, Dracula: Untold. I’ve never watched it, but I’ve always wanted to because of that very same reason: He looks like a superhero, haha
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 6/1/2025, 2:01 PM
@DanielKlissmman - I [frick]ing deleted my response.

Short version:

The writers Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless should have been [frick]ing vetted. Dracula Untold is the best [frick]ing thing they have written, but even that was [frick]ing weak.
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 2:04 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - Yeah, I got to see it before you deleted it. I’ve been meaning to watch Dracula: Untold. It looks fun
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 6/1/2025, 2:06 PM
@DanielKlissmman - Matey, you [frick]ing should.

Its fun could have been better, but I thought there would have been a [frick]ing sequel with an improvement, but with the [frick]ing Universal Monsterverse bollocks, we would never [frick]ing know.
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 2:14 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - Thanks for the recommendation. I’ll put it on the list, then. I’m excited to watch it
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 6/1/2025, 2:18 PM
@DanielKlissmman - My man 👊🏿
DanielKlissmman
DanielKlissmman - 6/1/2025, 2:23 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - Oh, yeah! 👊
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 6/1/2025, 1:33 PM
No @DanielKlissmman

It was [frick]ing bad.

I have tried to appreciate it repeatedly, but there is no [frick]ing way or [frick]ing hope.

It was a [frick]ing bad script.

The leads were made to look bad… successfully, I might add. The villain was worse, and, to be honest, the best part of the movie was the [frick]ing end.

They honestly should have started it from there.

So much [frick]ing potential for the character but so much [frick]ing lazy waste of time spent on it.

For [frick]s Sake
SpideyQuad
SpideyQuad - 6/1/2025, 4:57 PM
@THEKENDOMAN - You sound like a juvenile that just learned how to swear. It's so cool
THEKENDOMAN
THEKENDOMAN - 6/1/2025, 5:30 PM
@SpideyQuad - Gracias, cabrón 👊🏿
Pathogen
Pathogen - 6/1/2025, 1:35 PM
Look, I don't jump on bandwagons because I tend to think for myself. But damn. This was unwatchable trash, man. And I really TRIED to finish it. I just couldn't.
Radsavage1
Radsavage1 - 6/1/2025, 1:38 PM
Shut up
dragon316
dragon316 - 6/1/2025, 1:40 PM
It was better than morbious still bad
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