Netflix Sci-Fi Psychological Thriller Stars Marvel Hero As Mad Scientist

Spiderhead is primarily a vehicle for actor Chris Hemsworth, playing against type as the nefarious scientist Steve Abnesti. Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett co-star as Jeff and Lizzy, the main inmates the film follows. The cast is rounded out by Tess Haubrich, Angie Milliken, Sam Delich, Bebe Bettencourt, and Nathan Jones among others. 

Based on the George Saunders short story “Escape From Spiderhead” the movie takes place in a prison where inmates have volunteered to enter an experimental drug trial to reduce their sentences. Leading the drug trial is a seemingly well-meaning scientist Steve Abnesti, but as the effects of the emotion and perception manipulating drugs take effect, events take a nefarious turn. The plot spirals into a dark psychodrama, as the inmate Jeff attempts to unravel the experiment’s secrets and escape. 

Directed by Joseph Kosinski, Spiderhead was written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick. It was made during the COVID-19 pandemic, being shot in Queensland, Australia in November of 2020. The movie’s production was directly linked to the pandemic, being partially funded by the Australian government as part of an initiative to boost the country’s economy during the health crisis. 

Produced as a Netflix original, Spiderhead had its world premiere in Sydney, Australia before its international release on the streaming platform. The world premiere was on June 11th, 2022 at The Entertainment Quarter, which is the closest the movie came to receiving a theatrical release. It was then released internationally on Netflix on June 17, 2022. 

Professional critics and general audiences rejected Spiderhead, largely due to its writing and directing. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has a 39 percent among critics and an even lower 30 percent on the audience-derived Popcornmeter. While the cast and premise were praised, critics claim the movie consistently failed to live up to its potential and ignored the most intriguing elements of its premise. 

Coming on the heels of his smash hit Top Gun: Maverick, expectations for Joseph Kosinski’s next film were high, which may have contributed to the sci-fi thriller’s tepid response. Kosinski is no stranger to divisive movies, with Oblivion and Tron Legacy, being critically panned while finding niche audiences, but Spiderhead hasn’t garnered a cult following the way his other critical flops did. The director will look to recapture the magic of Maverick with next year’s F1. 

With a talented central cast and an intriguing premise that touches on issues within criminal justice and the shady practices of pharmaceutical companies, Spiderhead may still be able to find an audience. Viewers with more realistic expectations might be able to look past the movie’s flaws and find a diamond in the rough. Check it out on Netflix and discover for yourself if it deserves its bad reputation.