Why is Madame Web? 

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I’m sorry seeing “Why is Madam Web” appear on my notifications fucking killed me

This man probably found out the original plot and sleekly told it to us.

A Terminator movie with a Spider as a hunter should've slapped. Yet here we are, in the darkest timeline

"It feels like the spiritual successor to Elektra" is about the most damning, biting criticism I have ever heard about this movie, bravo

The reason why the original Spider-Man trilogy worked was because of Laura Ziskin It was because of her and her husband (the screenwriter Alvin Sargent) that the movies had depth Sadly, she died in 2011, during the production of TASM1 She was the only one at the time that cared about quality rather than quantity or toys sales

As someone who watched the movie, I’ll say this… I had my share of fun when watching this film. Cinematography was the biggest highlight for me. Adam and Emma were surprisingly fitting in their roles. At times I even felt invested in the story (and then the 3rd act happened). But as Alex said at the end, the biggest problem isn’t the movie itself. It’s the reason this and all the other Sony-verse movies exist. They might be fun to ridicule, and some of the filmmakers might carry these movies with their effort and talent. But ultimately these films feel pointless, and you won’t remember them after watching. And unless Sony’s mindset somehow changes; and they stop meddling, butchering and micromanaging like crazy, Kraven, Silk and potentially other characters will also become a laughing stock in the eyes of many.

I like how in this video you don’t just talk about the “wokeness” or how we “need male directions again instead of women” or any other of the things I hear on these clickbait reviews. This one is actually constructive and recognizes the people who made this as *actually being people*.

I like how the director looks more like Madame Web than the actual actress.

Hey Alex, I’m 17 I just wanted to say thank you for inspiring me to be a filmmaker

These Sonyverse movies started out as spin-offs of the Amazing Spider-Man movies. They were meant to be part of an interconnected Spider-Man universe, using all his beloved characters to tell a grand story. But sadly, that all fell apart because one movie slightly underperformed, and Sony through the idea out the window. It was a sad day. 😔

I literally died when i found out that they reused a scene from spiderman 2 in the ending for the flash forward scene lmao

I am so glad you highlighted the “us strays need to stick together” line. My friends and I cracked up when she said that! I even wrote it down in my notes in the theater so as not to forget that gem of a quote.

I was actually moderately hyped for Madam Webb because of the superhero costumes, then I learned that it was all a giant bait and switch and that killed my desire to see it

VENOM had the writer from 50 SHADES OF GREY (who is also directing VENOM 3) MORBIUS had the writers from GODS OF EGYPT (Who are also behind MADAME WEB) And KRAVEN THE HUNTER has the writers from TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT AVI ARAD ruined everything again, just like he ruined TASM series And he isn't even involved in MADAME WEB But he is behind BORDERLANDS though

Sniper Kevin Feige is probably the best thing to come out of the MCU since NWH for me.

Absolutely love all of your takes on this film! Its irks me so much when i see a good premise being shaved down into something basic and universally-digestible by studios that are more concerned with churning out a fast one than telling memorable and moving stories. I wish more people in industry shared the love and passion that you have for genuine storytelling. Love the vid, as always cant wait for the next one!

Having seen the film myself, I can honestly say that my first reaction leaving the theater was laughter so hard and so loud, you'd think I was doing an impression of Ra's al Ghul at the end of B:TAS' "The Demon's Quest" Part 2. And not because this was a good movie.

I just started college a few months back to study film, and I've been doubting myself a lot over those past few months, when it comes to writing, shooting, directing or anything of that matter, and I honestly started to question whether or not I really wanted to go down this path, but dude whenever you upload a video it reminds me just why I love movies so much, the way you talk about things with such passion and energy resonates with me so deeply, and they're such a nice reignition of that same passion for me. It doesn't matter whether it's Madame Web or Aftersun, your videos are always so full of love for cinema, and they make me remember why I love it too, so thank you :)

I can see that you and Chris stuckmans experience working on films really soften your responses to bad movies.

Finally. A reviewer who doesn't just say *"it sucks cause it's wOkE!"* Instead, you give valid critiques about the script, story, and editing that are the actual problems with the movie. Well done 👍🏾

4:16 its giving the same energy as "I love limes. I love them. They're great. I love them so much."

7:23 keep saying your not pulling our 8 legs, please😂

i can tell you in less than 4 seconds: to retain the rights to Spider-Man.

I actually saw it. The theater experience you described honestly sounded a lot like mine-so cozy and fun. Madame Web, for me, was definitely a “so bad it’s good” type of movie. The other Sony movies are just bad. But honestly… I may rewatch Madame Web on cable with friends some day… and I’ll do so with a smile on my face. I’m not gonna lie, man. I may have laughed harder for Madame Web than I ever have in any Marvel movie ever.

Hey bro started watching you a few months ago just wanna thank you for filling those silent nights with your videos keep trucking bro I look forward to the next video!

Drax : Why is Gamora? Hi-Top: That would be a great title for a video

I mean Andrew’s Peter being destined to become Spider-Man with the whole Richard’s blood being infused in the spider… makes Andrew’s the only Spider-Man this COULD be connected to, no?

I’d truly love to see HiTop Films talk about Star Wars films. Getting that Order 66 reference in this vid made me love the idea.

Thank you for brightening my day😊

First Morbius now Madame Web, I honestly have very little hope of Kraven the Hunter being good

been waiting on this one!

Y'know what's funny? I've only recently started watching this channel regularly and now I try to make all my letterboxd reviews sound like a HiTop films video. But seriously bro. Keep it up. Thus s*** is poetry.

New sub here. Loving the obvious passion you have for the medium! Great stuff!

Great review bro, so much depth and detail👏

IMHO, the main thing that speaks to whatever the original intent with Madame Web was is the focus on motherhood and especially the relationship between mothers and daughters. Cassie's mom, the three future Spider-Women's relationship to Cassie, and obviously the presence of Mary Parker. But the fact this movie was aiming for any kind of theme or motif in that direction only hit me when Cassie was going through her flashback vision to see her mom and asked "Why did you hate me?" before learning the full truth. The rest of this movie was so hacked together up to that point that I literally leaned over to my best friend sitting next to me to say "Wait, what... Was that the theme of this movie the whole time?" And I can see how with a pre-Sony Interference version of this movie's screenplay, that very theme being what drew people like Clarkson and Johnson to this movie, because high profile blockbusters aren't usually about mothers and daughters in this way. Especially the fact that it carries that idea forward alongside the Found Family idea. But by the end of the movie it just makes this laughable resolution where these three girls (two of whom still have parents they can go back to) are apparently moved in with Cassie under some bizarre arrangement that doesn't hold up to a second's worth of critical thought.

“Film about a toilet paper roll struggling to find its way to a recycling bin.” That would be a 10/10 must watch masterpiece!!

Your videos are always so inspiring for some reason. You speak with so much passion and love for the characters its so palpable. You find sadness in the potential rather than revel in the mediocrity. These videos NEED to be seen by the cast and crew of these movies.

I like that HiTop goes onto every super hero movie and tries to enjoy it like any movie goer and can see the flaws but goes more in-depth in how it all connects

Ah! So great to see you back on my notifications. I've missed you.

ITS OUT ITS OUT LETS GO THANK YOU HITOP

Great video! I haven't seen a Sony Spider villain since the first Venom and watching this video and you ask these questions and give answers which many of us have asked. HiTop, your videoessays are excellent as always. One thought I had whilst watching this video, the spiders in Amazing Spiderman and Madame Web are spiders I have to turn away, damn spider phobia haha.

Thank you for this video it brings joy to my life listening to you talk about well literally anything 😅 Ps. Please make a video on the bear!

Hands down my favorite guy here, always love your vids🌹

Great video!! Keep up the good work!

About the only reason I can think of going to the theater and watching this movie would be if you there to discuss it. As always, your analysis is exceptional, and the broader comments (anything can make a great film if it’s made properly, for example) sound timeless. And btw, thanks for watching it, so I don’t have to.

Great stuff my man

The Peter original story makes sense. Mr Sunday movies made a good point with a lot of media and technology being closer to 1993, not 2003 which is close enough to Andrew’s Spider-Man’s age. Andrew coming back for this movie would make sense then because he would have been shown during Sims premonition. He would have taken him out instead, perhaps a reference to Andrew’s ‘stopped pulling his punches’ line in no way home. As you said, it would explain the poor ADR and why they’d cast two great actors for such small roles. I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole 3rd act was changed in order to prevent the women from having their or getting their powers to fight Sims in their spider outfits. Your idea makes complete sense and actually kind of creates a cohesive narrative that can be followed in a way that makes sense. I doubt the movie would have been any good still, but it would have been something. As to why Madame Web was changed. I reckon it has to do with the ongoing drama between Sony and Marvel with what to do with Tom’s Spider-Man 4. Sony wants Tobey and Andrew back, so they took him out of madame web and requested the movie did reshoots. That’s what seems most probable anyways.

This premise had a great deal of potential, especially if it was done through the lens of people coming to terms with their futures. Fate is inherently a huge aspect of this story, from Cassandra and Ezekiel’s precognitive view of possible futures, to the three Spiderwomen somewhat paralleling the three Sisters Of Fate from Greek mythology or the three Norns from Norse mythology and having the protagonists learn to face their fear of their future with grace while Ezekiel’s fear consumes his life until he dies trying to beat his fate into submission works well on paper. I likened it to Balder’s story from God Of War, as his mother was shown a prophecy of him dying needlessly and she cursed him to survive and recover from anything at the cost of all his senses except sight and hearing. Years of being unable to experience pain or pleasure drives him mad and eventually, during a fight that results in his curse being broken, he is killed attempting to murder his mother to avenge her cursing him and prevent her from potentially doing it again, a needless death. Ezekiel specifically could have been far more tragic if his story was handled better and made his torment more horrific, experiencing various versions of himself dying in various ways in various timelines, all relating to those same girls. This would make hunting them a matter of physically fighting and dominating his fate, only for him to expedite it, yet in the end being liberated from his torment just as Baldur found peace from the years of rage and resentment he’d built towards his family. Had it been far less campy and awkward and focused on acknowledging that while the future can be unpleasant and terrifying (especially through the lens of three young adults), fearing and attempting to control it only causes more harm than simply being able to accept it, the final product could have made for a pretty decent film.

Best movie reviewer on this platform. The last segment hit different. This guy knows what hes doin

I'll do you one better; HOW is Madame Web?

unless i missed it, the only flaw of this fantastic essay has it not mentioning that the film had morbuis' writers. especially because anyone who knows how good this channel is, the creator is very aware of this. he told us who the damn grips were pretty much lol

yayyy hitop upload :DDD

Im glad i wasnt the only one who liked madame web, my only problem with the movie was its "connection to spiderman" it would of been super cool if this was set in the 90s instead to make it b connected to Andrew's potrail. I would of really liked to have seen maybe a post credit scene confirming this or even showing us our new spiderman. Thanks alex great video

Hey Alex, your videos are always a treat to unwind to. Hope the Jason Todd project is going well. Make sure not to overwork and to take breaks.

Your review of this movie is one of the FEW I'd even watch or take seriously. I wasn't disappointed. I mean I wasn't, but after that great breakdown of what this movie should have been, I am now.... I would have loved an evil Ezek coming after Mary, Richard, and Ben Parker for totem shenanigans', and the only one who could stop him was a newly awakened clairvoyant Madame Web, and the team she assembles (heh) to protect and watch over him. Only to realize that she can't stop... The Canon Event.

Can't wait to see Hitops take on this film 🎥

Just wanted to say I like the energy of this commentary

I only ever saw Madam Web from the 90s cartoon so I have a very limited knowledge of her character that has probably diminished over the years. But, I always saw her as more of a cosmic entity, especially since anytime Peter interacted with her he was seemingly transported to a pocket dimension that she lived in, or she just appeared from nowhere. So, when I heard about this movie and the direction they were taking it I already found it laughable and avoided it immediately. It’s even more bizarre that we have a film based entirely around a supporting character that is basically an exposition dumper rather than the multitude of other Spider-man characters that have deserved their own movie, or hell, even just a supporting role or cameo. The more I hear about it the more I’m glad I didn’t give it the time of day.

The best critic out there 🙏🙏

I did like the reverse Ezekiel shot yeah that was awesome also Shang chi was a headache to decipher visually but still wasn't bland

Listen, HiTop, homie, I have a favor to shout into the RU-vid comment void. My friends are working on an R-rated Batman Year one adaptation, and I’m trying to cameo as Jason Todd BUT they think Robin is lame. Would you ever be interested in doing a video on why Robin is an underrated character who is important to the mythos? It’s a big favor and I know you’re busy, but even a short video would be rad. Appreciate you reading this, and I hope you’re doing well!

Great video!

"Hope you enjoy the cookie." 🤣🤣

I will say, I did kind of enjoy that one “toxic” fight scene, the sound editing was fun

“Hope you enjoy the cookie” made me burst out laughing in my car by myself

Literally the same question I had when the film was announced.

I love Lorenzo Di Bonaventura so much, man is just a professional yapper with a producer credit

Love the video. If i may ask, what kind of microphone do you use?

Hey HiTop I’m a huge fan of your style of video essays on movies, especially your Spider-Man and Batman videos (those being my favorite). So I was wondering if you have ever seen Spider-Man Lotus and would be down to make a video on it? As imo there’s a lot to discuss and dissect in that fan film (and I mean a lot) and I’m curious to see as to what your thoughts on the film are. Thanks

I think Animal Totem powers worked just a few years ago in Legends Of Tomorrow, with Vixen. I think the weird Spider-Totem stuff COULD work. Idk how... I barely paid attention to that comic arc... and I'm not sure it worked great there, either... but I think it COULD work. Idk, I'd do things very differently if I was in charge of the non-Spider-Man spidey films. I wouldn't adapt that arc. Or honestly, like any of these characters. I think I would've started with Jessica Drew and Black Cat.

this is such a great video detailing why these films could be better because sony in post has botched both morbius and madame web, im glad venom 2 is andys vision and hopefully kraven is too but i wanna see full visions for sj clarkson and daniel espinosas takes on these characters without studio interference, this happened with nia dacosta and the marvels too

With your editing, delivery, and scripting, you should be way more well know. More subs, views, everything. Your videos are an experience.

nice editing

I LOVE THE BABLON CLIPS!! 👀

Love the fact that he put spoilers at the beginning like anyone actually cares about the movie 😂. Seriously though great video 👍🏿

How come we never got the full length 'The Batman ' video that you promised??

I was high as a kite watching it. And the whole theater was laughing so hard by the end. It very much is a successor to Elektra!

Now I want to see a movie about a toilet paper roll struggling to get to a recycling bin

Can you do another Invincible essay soon? All of these other channels dont do it enough justice for me like yours do

Madame Why…?

You should do a video on Babylon, It’d be really interesting to hear what you think

You’re the first person who praised the editing.

I do appreciate a lot that you bring up here. I've always been more forgiving of the idea of destiny in Spider-Man's life, because destiny is always an outstanding metaphor of how people's choices are interconnected, and Madame Web trying to stop Ezekiel from trying to cheat destiny could have been a great concept, but a lot of criticism for this movie gets buried beneath the contempt for Sony desperately trying to keep properties out of Mouse Hands. I sincerely enjoyed the skeleton of the movie that was buried under what I actually went to see, but I struggle to find anybody else who can find a more meaningful criticism than "Sony just shouldn't make movies with characters nobody cares about," when movies about people nobody knows have so much more potential than the risk of butchering a property people are already invested in.

great video

for additional hilarity, Lorenzo is the same producer who, even after the Bumblebee reboot, shackles the new Transformers movies to the Bayverse continuity.

I watched a popular video about this movie earlier today because of the attention it got. I commented that the message of the video would have been better conveyed it it was a "What happened with Madame Web" video. Now, I'm here watching that video....😅

Yo my boy HiTop

Istg if I was in the filming industry hi top would be my number 1 choice to be my director this guy is a genius

I still feel like it's a fever dream that this movie even exists. I literally never heard of it until the day it came out.

wee want jasooon sooooooon

A VERY GOOD VIDEO!!!

i like how you dont immediately shit on the film and that be the idea of the whole video but instead look into the possibilities that this movie could've and would've had, it really sets you apart from other reviewers by a lot

I saw Madame Web, and whilst I agree with all you've said, I definitely don't think it deserves all the bad reviews it has been getting. It was so much better than many other recent superhero films- Aquaman 2, Dr Strange 2, Eternals, and older ones, Elektra and cat woman. I thought it was fine. Not ground-breaking. I do genuinely think your proposed idea where the spidermomen are trying to save a baby Peter Parker would have been a better one to have gone with. There are clearly many clues showing that must have been the intention. It did leave me wanting to know more about these characters- I think the casting was great. Maybe we'll get something good from this in the end in the individual spidergirl/woman films and isn't there a Silk series coming soon? Great vid anyway chap!

The X Files music at the 8:00 point was brilliant.

Hitop please make Deadpool reviews on preparation for the 3rd movie. I wanna know your opinion on those movies

This is the only good Madame Web deep dive so far. There's not even any sloppy misogynistic bashing. I'm shocked to learn that the director also did the first episode of Jessica Jones. That pilot functions as a perfect little isolated horror thriller, establishing Kilgrave as the scariest villain since sliced bread.

For a good action-based psychic story, check out Nic Cage's film Next from 2007. I never heard of it until about a year ago, other than the "My hair is a bird" meme, but it was a fun romp. That's how Mdme. Webb should have approached a psychic action flick.

She's a truly dynamic character.

8:44 I remember about a year or two ago, this was the rumored plot of the movie. Guess that was scrapped