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Spiderhead Reviews

This dystopian sci-fi thriller has everything in its arsenal to pull off something great, but doesn't.

Full Review | Nov 21, 2023

Where evident in the film, Saunders tone and vision stand out as highpoints in an otherwise muddled extrapolation of the intriguing concepts he explored in his short story. Sadly, not enough of his influence remains to save Kosinski’s adaptation.

Full Review | Oct 31, 2023

Chris Hemsworth proves again that he's one of the most underrated actors working today.

Full Review | Original Score: B- | Jul 25, 2023

Spiderhead itself feels like an experiment on us. Because the characters’ ability to empathize with each other isn’t the only thing that’s being poked at. Ours is on the line as well.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Jul 20, 2023

This has some great acting performances from Teller and Smollett. The ethical scenarios being performed in this film is at times jarring and others very interestingly gray on the right and wrongs of staging such tests. Execution was were this was lacking.

Full Review | Original Score: 6/10 | Dec 26, 2022

Technology gets out of hand. But my major complaint lies with the film’s predictability. .

Full Review | Oct 4, 2022

I’m not sure "Spiderhead" has a point. To have a point, the film would have something to say. And "Spiderhead" is empty [...], 107 minutes of nothingness

Full Review | Sep 23, 2022

<i>Spiderhead</i> is pretty enough (and Hemsworth has to be the suavest pharmacist since Theodoric of York), but it feels like something more suited to <i>Black Mirror</i> than the big screen.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 16, 2022

But, in a world of sci-fi dramas that are far too long, it’s amazing that Spiderhead exists. It’s a modest sci-fi tragedy that honors its source material brilliantly. Sometimes, one movie about one idea is all you need.

Full Review | Aug 19, 2022

Despite having a thought-provoking setup, “Spiderhead” is ultimately undone by a number of flaws that no amount of Hemsworth charisma can overcome.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 16, 2022

For in between all the drug trips and the wild tonal shifts, there are moments where you begin to wonder if you yourself might be the subject of some Netflix taste-cluster experiment...

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Aug 8, 2022

It’s rare to see a director release two films in one year, but even rarer that one of those films is their best work whilst the other is easily their worst.

Full Review | Original Score: 5/10 | Jul 26, 2022

In the end, all I wanted to do was escape that damned island...

Full Review | Original Score: 1/5 | Jul 19, 2022

I don’t know, it’s really nice to go from Thor: Love and Thunder to something this weird and interesting for Chris Hemsworth. He seems right at home playing a faux-friendly science bro who could snap at the drop of a hat.

Full Review | Jul 17, 2022

Whatever delicate mechanisms left from Saunders' story get tossed by the wayside in place of dumb and dumber plot beats that leave the film dunderingly insipid, and as thematically barren as a night at Olive Garden.

Full Review | Jul 15, 2022

The lesson at the end of the day? Chris Hemsworth should play more villains, but let’s leave literary adaptations for projects that honor the original story.

Full Review | Original Score: D | Jul 15, 2022

Kosinski never gets it quite right, as the longer the film goes on the more steam it loses.

Full Review | Original Score: C+ | Jul 6, 2022

Hemsworth, Teller and Smollett left their A game at home. Only Mark Paguio seems to be actually creating an in depth character.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/10 | Jul 2, 2022

This is a story with some big logistical holes in it, and the uncertain performances of Hemsworth and Teller just can’t cover any flaws for long.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 30, 2022

George Saunders pondered human will and technology's manipulation of personal behaviour in his 2010 short story, Escape From Spiderhead, and this adaptation has Hollywoodised the ending while misjudging the dark satiric tone throughout.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/5 | Jun 29, 2022