MADAME Web is the kind of movie that makes you question if you have stumbled into a parallel universe where logic took a permanent vacation.
From its convoluted plot to its over-the-top action sequences, every moment of this film is a testament to the sheer audacity of its creators.
But here is the kicker, it is so bad that it is actually kind of fun — in a cult classic way.
Plot twists that defy all reason
The plot or lack thereof, starts with a classic tale of betrayal in the jungles of Peru, where there are mystical spiders with strange magical healing properties and a protagonist who gains incredible psychic powers after a close shave with the Grim Reaper.
If you add a villain who can peek into the future and whose decision-making process tells him random acts of murder are the best course of action, audiences will be forgiven for scratching their collective skulls in bewilderment.
Questionable decision-making 101
Bad decision-making seems to be a recurring theme throughout the movie. The fearless heroine Cassie, decides the best way to protect the three women targeted by the baddies is by seeking refuge in a perilous forest full of wild animals and other unseen hazards.
No, the city or civilisation itself is not a safe hiding place, nor is it worth calling the cops for help, it would appear.
Action sequences straight out of a cartoon
For audiences looking for realistic fight scenes and well-choreographed stunts, this is the wrong movie. Madame Web delivers action sequences that would not be out of place in a Saturday morning cartoon.
Spoiler alert — the protagonist lures the villain to a condemned firework factory, sets up elaborate traps and ultimately defeats him with a well-timed sign falling from the sky.
It is ridiculous, it is absurd and it is glorious. Think Danny Trejo and the Machete series and audiences should get a pretty accurate idea of the type of action sequences on offer.
Embrace the absurdity
Madame Web is a movie that defies all expectations and invites audiences to leave logic at the door. It is a wild ride from start to finish, for sure.
So grab some popcorn and embrace the chaos, because sometimes the best way to enjoy a movie is to just sit back, relax and let the madness unfold.
DIRECTOR: SJ Clarkson
CAST: Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeny, Isablea Merced, Celeste O’Connor
E-VALUE: 8/10
PLOT: 3/10
ACTING: 6/10
