Madame Web is a 2024 superhero movie from Sony Pictures. It is part of Sony’s Spider-Man Universe (SSU). The film stars Dakota Johnson as Cassandra “Cassie” Webb, a paramedic who gets special powers to see the future. She tries to save three young women who will one day become powerful heroes. The movie also stars Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced, Celeste O’Connor, Tahar Rahim, Adam Scott, and Emma Roberts.
The story starts in the past with Cassie’s mom in the Amazon rainforest. She looks for a special spider. Things go wrong, and it sets up Cassie’s life many years later. Cassie has visions and must protect the girls from a bad man named Ezekiel Sims. The film mixes action, mystery, and some thriller parts. It is not like typical Spider-Man movies with big web-swinging fights. Instead, it focuses more on seeing the future and saving people.
What Critics Said About Madame Web
Critics did not like Madame Web very much. On Rotten Tomatoes, the critic score is around 10% fresh. This means most reviews are negative. The audience score is higher at about 53%. On Metacritic, it got a low score of 26 out of 100 from critics. This shows it is “generally unfavorable.”
Many critics said the story is weak and predictable. The plot feels messy and does not make much sense at times. Dialogue sounds strange or funny in a bad way. Action scenes are not exciting. Some called it one of the worst superhero movies ever made.
For example:
- One review said the story is absurd, the words are laughable, and fights are boring.
- Another called it a disaster for superhero films.
- Some said it has no energy and wastes good actors like Dakota Johnson and Sydney Sweeney.
A few critics were a bit nicer. They said the movie is easy to watch and has a light pace. It does not try to be too serious like some big Marvel films. The idea of a woman hero with future vision is fresh. But even these reviews said it is forgettable and not very good overall.
The film got bad marks at awards too. It won some Golden Raspberry Awards (Razzies) for worst picture, worst actress, and worst screenplay. This shows how much some people disliked it.
How Fans and Regular Viewers Reacted
Fans and normal moviegoers had mixed feelings. Some hated it just like critics. They said the movie is boring, the acting is flat, and it does not feel like a real superhero story. On social media, people made jokes and memes about strange lines like “He was in the Amazon with my mom when she was researching spiders right before she died.” Many called it so bad it is funny.
But not everyone hated it. Some fans liked it more than expected. They said it has good moments with the four women forming a team like a found family. The young actors playing the future Spider-Women are fun to watch. Sydney Sweeney’s character brings energy. A few people said if you ignore the bad press, it is an okay watch for a fun night.
On Rotten Tomatoes, over 1,000 people gave verified audience ratings around 53%. Some gave it high marks for being different from other superhero films. It is more about suspense and less about big battles. On sites like IMDb or CinemaScore, it got a C+ from people right after watching in theaters. This is not great but better than some other bad superhero movies.
After theaters, Madame Web did very well on streaming. It became one of the most-watched movies on Netflix in 2024. Some reports say it had over a billion minutes viewed. This shows that regular people at home enjoyed it more than critics thought. Many watched it and found it entertaining enough for casual viewing.
Box Office Numbers and What It Means for Sony
Madame Web did not make much money in theaters. It had a budget of about $80 million. Worldwide, it earned around $100 million. In the US, it made only about $43 million. This is low for a superhero movie. It is one of the worst box office results in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.
Other films like Morbius also did poorly. After Madame Web and later movies like Kraven the Hunter, Sony stopped making more films in this universe. The CEO said bad reviews hurt the movie a lot. He thinks critics were too hard on it, and it did better on streaming.
Why Did Madame Web Get Such Mixed Reactions?
Madame Web tried something new. It is not about Spider-Man himself. It focuses on a lesser-known character with psychic powers. The story is an origin tale for Cassie and hints at future Spider-Women. Some people like that it is a thriller more than action. It has women in lead roles, which is good to see.
But many problems hurt it. The writing feels weak. The villain is not scary or interesting. Connections to Spider-Man are small, like a quick scene with a young Uncle Ben. This made some fans feel tricked. Marketing showed it as a big Spider-Verse film, but it is very different.
Dakota Johnson is a good actor, but some said she looked bored or the role did not fit her. Sydney Sweeney and others tried hard, but the script did not help them shine.
In the end, Madame Web became a meme more than a hit. People talk about how bad it is in a fun way. It joined the list of “so bad it’s good” movies for some viewers.
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Final Thoughts on Madame Web
Madame Web is a superhero thriller that did not work well for most critics. They called it messy, boring, and one of the weakest in the genre. Fans are split—some hate it, some find it okay or even fun in a silly way. It bombed at the box office but found new life on streaming.
If you like light superhero stories with less violence and more about powers and saving people, you might enjoy it at home. But if you want big action like Spider-Man movies, it may disappoint. It shows how hard it is to make a good film in the busy world of comic book movies.
The reactions prove one thing: people love to talk about movies, even when they are not great. Madame Web may not be a classic, but it got everyone discussing Sony’s plans and what makes a good superhero story.
About the Author
Mary Correa is a content writer with 9 years of experience. She loves writing about luxury villas and travel. Her articles are easy to read and full of exciting ideas. Mary helps readers discover amazing places to visit and stay. When she’s not writing, she enjoys exploring new destinations.
