Der Spinnenkopf

4 / 10

Netflix’ latest sci-fi thriller stars Chris Hemsworth who plays Steve Abnesti, a model-shaped mad scientist trying out his mind manipulating substances on convicted people who have been granted a life in exile on a distant island. The dose for each substance – which are stored in a tiny fridge attached to the spinal cord of a test person – are controlled via a custom smartphone app which lets the mind focus on one of the following emotions or ways of communication: Eloquence, laughter, affection, anxiety and pain. The intensity of the manipulation depends on the dose and can lead to dramatic consequences shown throughout the film. Jeff (Miles Teller), who is part of the experiment after causing a tragic car accident under influence, is seemingly fed up with the drug’s impact and begins to revolt against Steve in order to save his newfound love for another convicted test person named Lizzy and therefore has to confront his past.

Fresh off his incredible sound- and action-driven spectacle with Top Gun: Maverick, Joseph Kosinski’s Spiderhead leaves much to be desired considering its nods to Black Mirror: Playtest and Ex Machina with its modern, coldish testing complex. The comedic presentation of the tests combined with Hemsworth’s desperate attempts to be a believable scientist feel shallow and prevent any kind of emotional investment into the story. Since his Steve always needs the consent from the test persons – to continue the study for legal reasons – in the form of the word acknowledge, he has to acknowledge that he’s nowhere near a pharmaceutical genius he pretends to be, especially with his stereotypical pair of glasses. The smartphone app has apparently not left the beta phase as its importance for the film's second half can be exploited so easily with the lack of administrative restrictions. Every character feels flat and disoriented, except for Miles Teller’s Jeff with his flashbacks and his revolt and the captured effects of the substances tire out pretty quickly, because the study makes the whole environment look like a bloated acting school.

Sadly, the best thing about Spiderhead is that shazaming its well-curated summer playlist was a pleasant distraction during the trivial aerial views and drawn-out test sessions. The idea about the control of the human condition and the substance’s value for institutions actually looks promising, but Joseph Kosinski’s execution feels tame, ridiculous at times and could be way more intense towards the end.

Review published on 18th June 2022.