The classic cast of an exciting superhero movie is the hero and villain. While the hero may be the one to save the day, with the villain inevitably failing, many times the villain is the one who gains the hearts of the audience. However, with Madame Web in theaters, she reverses this common feeling, as her heroic actions take the audience along a rollercoaster of events. With Madame Web as this story’s hero, the audience can’t help but find themselves drawn to her instead of the villain.
Through Dakota Johnson’s portrayal of Madame Web, she brings the hero into the action. Madame Web possesses psychic abilities, including telepathy, clairvoyance, and prescience. She can also perform astral projection and appear to others in spirit form. Not only that, but she is also cybernetically linked to a spider web support system to attend to her bodily needs. This system can shift upright or recline, and provides robotic arms to substitute for her arms. These powers and abilities introduce Madame Web as a new superhero who fights alongside Spider-Man to protect their citizens and those they love.
The film begins in 1973, set in the jungles of Peru. The audience is shown a research team led by Ezekiel Sims (played by Tahar Rahim), and his pregnant partner Constance Webb. (Kerry Bishe). The couple are there to search for a cure for Constance’s muscular disorder. Webb then discovers an unidentified species of spiders that have so-called “rare healing properties.” Excited about this new discovery, Webb is shocked to see Ezekiel betray her after he becomes greedy and claims the spider for himself, leaving Constance for dead.
Luckily, Cassandra — known as Cassie — was born before her mother’s passing. The film then flash forwards to Cassie’s life as a paramedic in New York City alongside her co-workers Ben Parker and O’Neil. Up to this point, Cassie has lived her life as a normal girl. But then, during a call to an emergency, Cassie falls into the water and has a near-death experience. Ben is able to resuscitate her, but then Cassie’s life takes a turn. Suddenly, she gains mysterious powers as she discovers she has visions of the future. Soon after gaining her powers however, Ezekiel, her long-lost father, begins to plot against her.
Ezekiel sets his sights on three young girls: Julia Cornwell (Sydney Sweeney), Anya Corazon (Isabela Merced), and Mattie Franklin (Celeste O’Connor). All three girls have all lived normal lives, except for one factor; they all are haunted by Ezekiel Sims. Julia lives with her father, Anya is a homeless girl who’s forced to live alone after her father was deported, and Mattie comes from a wealthy home but an absent family. Ezekiel’s visions lead him to believe that these three girls will wind up killing him, and soon becomes obsessed with getting rid of them. However, Cassie is also drawn to these girls. She quickly becomes protective of the three girls and is determined to save them.
This action-packed movie has been in theaters since February 14, but it’s not too late to see it! Make sure to check out the movie before it leaves theaters.
