Spiderhead

Fresh off the wicked hot success of Top Gun: Maverick, Netflix is releasing director Joseph Kosinski's Spiderhead.

I'm probably one of Kosinski's bigger fans historically. Obviously, people are discovering how talented he is with Top Gun: Maverick, but I straight up loved Tron: Legacy (make a 3rd one, you cowards!) and Oblivion, his often-overly-criticized sci-fi flick. 

Spiderhead intrigued me - knowing already that it would be hard to top the highs of Top Gun - because it was a return to sci-fi for Kosinski, not to mention the A-list cast accompanying it. Largely, it's a movie where my expectations were equally met: I was anticipating a good "Black Mirror" episode with higher production values and that's basically what I got. 

Our film is centered around a compound, technically a jail of sorts, on an island, where previous convicts who have applied for a different sort of sentence opt in to human clinical tests for a variety of drugs. Underneath the surface, you know that something feels...off...but as most quick sci-fi hits go, you have to piece together the puzzle to figure it all out. 

Immediately, Chris Hemsworth's Abnesti is an interesting and compelling character. Some sort of buff genius with plenty of quirks - including listening to 80s music over the intercom - the is-he-isnt-he villainous turn is one that Hemsworth is having tons of fun with. He brings a lot of energy and magnetism to the screen, finding a good balance between creepy and trustworthy that help the film pull off it's later reveals. Our main convict, Miles Teller's Jeff, has a backstory that's eventually revealed, though isn't a particularly interesting character in and of itself. Luckily, there's Teller to add a good performance to the thin character so it works, and his head-to-head moments with Abnesti are tense. The remainder of the cast is fine, with special mention to Abnesti's assistant, Mark Paguio's Verlaine, but no one stands out quite like Hemsworth does. 

"So yeah...I got to fly with Tom Cruise."

Our production values are neat in a science fiction way that reminded me of Ex Machina. Set design, music, an aesthetic all feel half in the future and half in the past in a funky, unique sort of way. The majority of the film takes place in only a handful of rooms, so this simple but futuristic set design is effective and important, but can also make Spiderhead feel smaller stakes than it really is. Cinematography is nothing to write home about, but there are some worthwhile images throughout and the original score is similar, though has a few moments of intensity that fit perfectly. 

By the end, we have our expected "twist" and, by and large, I felt its conclusion was satisfying. The finale is "small" which fits the aesthetic of the film before it, but the science-fiction implications and way it makes you think is intriguing, even if it won't leave you thinking for days and weeks afterward.

I'll reiterate this short review that Spiderhead is essentially Kosinski saying, "Hey, I have an idea for a longer Black Mirror episode. Let me get some big stars and make it look/sound really good." The result isn't a particularly deep but nifty and engaging science fiction thriller that doesn't overstay its welcome. 

CONS

• I couldn't decide if I enjoyed the small stakes
• Characters outside of Abnesti are uninteresting
• Doesn't really have a wow moment, just cruises along
• Moments of great original score, wish they would have leaned into that more

PROS

• Hemsworth's Abnesti is a compelling character that's easy to watch. An obvious-villain but also one where you question if he's that obvious
• Miles Teller brings a solid performance to a bland character
• Good production values with great set design, pretty good cinematography, and an original score that nails it at a few points
• Interesting story with a worthwhile conclusion that I didn't see coming
• Short and sweet at ~1hr 45min

Rath's Review Score | 7/10