Despite the beginning of this new year, films such as “Dune 2” and “Bob Marley: One Love” have already managed to take the world by storm, making hundreds of millions at the box office within just weeks of their release. Marvel’s Madame Web ( released on February 14th), in comparison to its competitors, had failed to reach major success. The movie’s $80 million budget and well-renowned cast gave audiences very high expectations. However, the movie only made $42 million during the film’s entire time in theaters and faced massive disappointment from viewers. It garnered a 12% on rotten tomatoes by and 57% for the audience score.
The story of Madame Web follows Cassandra Webb, played by Dakota Johnson, a paramedic living in New York City who begins experiencing symptoms of clairvoyance. She is forced to protect three teenagers from an adversary who wants them dead, all while trying to discover more about her confusing past and newfound abilities. The character’s origin story was showcased in the first few minutes of the film and gave the movie a certain appeal, but the majority of viewers were let down by the plot’s predictability and the poor quality acting, with annoyance directed particularly toward Dakota Johnson.
During the press events, Johnson seemed bored and overly unenthusiastic to be a part of the production. In one interview with Buzzfeed, she admitted she had not even seen the movie and during an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she expressed that she was not sure if the final result of the movie would even be “good at all.” She also shared her skepticism in signing onto the role in the first place. Throughout the entirety of the two-hour film, Johnson’s mannerisms lacked fluidity. In an article for the New York Times, journalist Manohla Dargis writes, “And then there’s its star, Dakota Johnson, who has a fascinating, seemingly natural ability to appear wholly detached from the nonsense swirling around her. Most actors at least try to sell the shoddy goods; Johnson serenely floats above it all.” Johnson’s words seemed almost robotic and emotionless, making people wonder why she was even chosen as the lead in the first place, considering her previous projects and evident nepotism. Marvel historically has hired first-time or rookie actors to be the stars of their movies, creating a sense of authenticity and energy in the film since the actors have yet to be burned out by the tireless expectations of the industry. While Cassandra Webb showed some character development, it was often out of nowhere, feeling out of place and random. The resolution to the film seemed rushed as did the entirety of the movie, leaving the audience with a sense of dissatisfaction. These feelings were amplified knowing that Madame Web is not a part of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe) and therefore would not be returning unless there was a sequel.
However, if there does happen to be a Madame Webb sequel, the anticipation will predictably be decreased. After this film, many wonder whether Marvel created the movie as a cash grab or if the ideas truly are running low. Audiences can only hope that “Deadpool 3”, “Venom 3”, and “Spiderman: Beyond the Spider-Verse” will be lightyears better.
