We’re a little late to the party with this one but thanks to Lionsgate for sending over a screener so we could get up to speed with this latest 2023 horror offering! Here’s our Cobweb review.
Young Peter is plagued by a mysterious, constant noise from inside his bedroom wall — a tapping that his parents insist is in his imagination. As his fear intensifies, he starts to believe that his parents are hiding a terrible and dangerous secret.
With a solid cast and a simple story Cobweb hits home when doing the basics as the audience swims through horror trope after horror trope.
Cobweb is delivered simplistically but effectively as all cards are on the table yet there’s still enough room for a quite surprise up its sleeve.
Peter is hearing voices speaking from the walls and as a lonely, bullied child he confides in this innocent sweet voice coming from behind the wallpaper.
Innocent voices convincing him to do things, the bullied becomes the bully and then the twist ending which you can see from miles away yet for some reason still doesn’t dampen what is a rather spooky and enjoyable movie.
You’ve seen it all before but everything happens so quick that it all feels like it is being done on purpose to lead you into a false sense of security before a rather gory final third of the movie.
Cobweb explodes in glorious fashion in the final third as everyone gets their just desserts are the audience is merely a spectator to the bad apples getting their just desserts.
The filmmakers are playfully toying with us and it works rather wonderfully, it’s a seen it all before film but it’s done with just enough edge to leave you doubting whether you’ve actually seen this type of film before with a few little curveballs thrown in for good measure.
Cobweb is acted wonderfully from the incredible Woody Norman who plays Peter to Lizzy Caplan who plays his mum and Amazon’s The Boys Homelander Antony Starr who plays his father.
Both Lizzy and Antony play the two weirdest parents I’ve seen on the big screen for quite some time and whilst they start out weird they just go downright crazy as the film progresses as their dirty little secret is finally unveiled.
Emotional manipulation and bad parenting ooze from this feature and by the end of the movie you’re firmly in Peter’s corner wishing him the best.
Cleopatra Coleman (Fear clinic) plays Peter’s school teacher who suspects something at home just isn’t quite right and her character provides a solid supporting role to Peter’s plight as the film reaches its climax.
Cobweb is shot beautifully as there’s a slick styling to the camera work, beautiful light and shadow techniques and the horror stage is set to deliver the tropes with a few surprises in between.
It’s so obvious and in your face and doesn’t care if you’re picking up on it or not, it’s spooky good fun and worth a watch.
Cobweb doesn’t try to be something it isn’t, it embraces everything it stands for and almost pays tribute to all the great films that have come before it with inspirations dotted all over the film like an artists paint flicker on canvas.
It’s worth your time and further marks another strong Lionsgate horror line-up for 2023 with Saw X absolutely romping home to the tune of $71 million (at the time of writing) at the box office compared to its $13 million budget.
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COBWEB IS AVAILABLE ON DIGITAL FROM 23 OCTOBER 2023 AND ON BLU-RAY AND DVD FROM 30 OCTOBER 2023
Cobweb review by Sean Evans
Our Rating
Summary
Cobweb knows exactly what it’s doing yet doesn’t care if you’ve seen it all before. It’s unapologetically set the mood and thrust its audience into a familiar setting but has a few surprises up its sleeve. It’s worth a watch despite not being entirely original as its delivered quite simplistically yet effectively.
