Madame Web has been branded an “embarrassing mess” in the first reactions to the fourth instalment in the Sony Spider-Man Universe.
The premiere for the film, which stars Dakota Johnson in the lead role as a woman who develops psychic abilities, was held in Los Angeles last night (February 12).
Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, the movie also stars The White Lotus’ Sydney Sweeney, as well as Emma Roberts and Adam Scott. It is released in cinemas on February 14.
Following the screening, the film was roundly panned with one critic describing it as an “embarrassing mess” and “probably the worst comic book movie I have ever seen”.
#MadameWeb is an embarrassing mess. Talented stars wasted on probably the worst comic book movie I have ever seen. Filled with atrocious dialogue, awkward editing, & all around laughable structure. I sat there baffled scene by scene someone approved this. The memes will redeem it pic.twitter.com/wwxBZmzf1f
— Cris Parker (@3CFilmss) February 13, 2024
He added: “Filled with atrocious dialogue, awkward editing, & all around laughable structure. I sat there baffled scene by scene someone approved this. The memes will redeem it.”
Richard Neto, Editor In-Chief at The Hollywood Handle was equally as scathing. He wrote: “MadameWeb is awful. I tried to enjoy it but sadly the poor execution wouldn’t help it. The cast is definitely great but the performances were definitely disappointing. Sony gotta stop making these.”
#MadameWeb is awful. I tried to enjoy it but sadly the poor execution wouldn’t help it. The cast is definitely great but the performances were definitely disappointing. Sony gotta stop making these. pic.twitter.com/W5sr9exOoh
— Ricardo (@ricardoaymarr) February 13, 2024
Another added: “I was not, unfortunately, successfully entertained. #MadameWeb is a series of misses and wasted opportunities and not just for obvious reasons…”
I was not, unfortunately, successfully entertained. #MadameWeb is a series of misses and wasted opportunities and not just for obvious reasons… https://t.co/EHXNdtYrbe
— Darth Ro (@BookBlerd) February 13, 2024
Of the few that praised the film, one wrote: “#MadameWeb exceeds expectations! Some of the dialog is cheesy AF, some heavy-handed product placement, and probably couldve been tidied up a bit more. But the cast really work magic with what they had, their chemistry is a lot of fun, and the suits look great.”
#MadameWeb exceeds expectations! Some of the dialog is cheesy AF, some heavy-handed product placement, and probably couldve been tidied up a bit more. But the cast really work magic with what they had, their chemistry is a lot of fun, and the suits look great pic.twitter.com/UZoD5irjQx
— K.E.V.I.N. Fenix (@FenixDy) February 13, 2024
Another said the film was “totally fine” before adding: “The leads are charming. Dakota Johnson is a witchy weirdo. The slasher/FINAL DESTINATION meets superheroes vibes are there. But there’s just not a whole lot to it. Not a disaster. Just kinda there.”
#MadameWeb is totally fine. There’s really not a lot to say here. The leads are charming. Dakota Johnson is a witchy weirdo. The slasher/FINAL DESTINATION meets superheroes vibes are there. But there’s just not a whole lot to it. Not a disaster. Just kinda there. pic.twitter.com/HVf1jsUBnO
— James Preston Poole (@JamesPPoole) February 13, 2024
See a host of further first reactions below:
morbius was better
— Matt Ramos (@therealsupes) February 13, 2024
I was not, unfortunately, successfully entertained. #MadameWeb is a series of misses and wasted opportunities and not just for obvious reasons… https://t.co/EHXNdtYrbe
— Darth Ro (@BookBlerd) February 13, 2024
Unfortunately for me, #MadameWeb lacked the spark it needed in nearly every dept: writing, acting, action sequences. There are a few good moments with an excellent overall pacing, but gees was this hard to get through. https://t.co/NeLehZlBC2
— Britt (@BB18180) February 13, 2024
#MadameWeb is yet another disappointing entry in the Sony Universe. Dakota Johnson is a stand-out, but unfortunately that’s not the case for the rest of the cast. Not as bad as I expected it to be, but it sadly falls short of what could have been a decent movie. 2/5 pic.twitter.com/WdnIXtalBQ
— COCO (@cocognz) February 13, 2024
It comes after Johnson recently said that acting on the set of Madame Web, with a high volume of CGI effects, was “absolutely psychotic”.
She added: “I’ve never really done a movie where you are on a blue screen, and there’s fake explosions going off, and someone’s going, ‘Explosion!’ and you act like there’s an explosion. That to me was absolutely psychotic,” she said.
“I was like, ‘I don’t know if this is going to be good at all! I hope that I did an okay job!’ But I trusted [director SJ Clarkson]. She works so hard, and she has not taken her eyes off this movie since we started.”
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