Cobweb

It’s a shame that the evil is so divorced from reality due to its physical abilities and movements, while the film itself otherwise tries to remain firmly rooted in reality. And it’s also a shame about all of the strange and ill-conceived moments in the characters’ behavior and generally how they are set in the course of the scenes. Because otherwise, this “girl under the stairs from Holdenfield” very interestingly plays with genre clichés and is capable of surprising and delighting the viewer with delicious cinematography, editing and soundtrack treats. (2023-11-06)

Except for the two luxurious scares (which had already been seen in the trailer), it wasn't such a WOW movie. It had a rather slow start, a good but somewhat predictable twist, and the ending didn't completely dazzle me either. Nevertheless, it's a decent horror movie, and I don't regret going to see it in the cinema. (2023-08-15)

Well, this was a surprise! I went into this expecting to be let down, as I often am with horror movies, but I ended up genuinely enjoying it. Sure, I wouldn’t have minded a bit more gruesome detail. But I get it — the filmmakers were going for atmosphere over gore, and they mostly nailed it. The tension was solid, the young lead was tolerable, and it was great to see Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr again. The main villain definitely had a bit of that Eastern horror vibe, but it worked for me. After a long time, I found myself actually enjoying a horror film, and I had no hesitation in giving it four stars. / Lesson learned: When you need to demolish something, get some strong Black women with fireplace pokers. (2024-08-20)

I expected much more from Cobweb. The reviews had me excited about a great film, but honestly, I was slightly disappointed. But let’s start from the beginning. In terms of audiovisual quality, the film is top-notch. I can’t fault it in this regard. The cast also shines (Antony Starr is truly incredible... What he can convey through just his facial expressions is remarkable). However, I find the central plot to be a problem; it didn’t captivate me as much. The film builds up beautifully, but the ending felt like it fizzled out. The creators chose to wrap up this mysterious film with a cheap slaughter without any real creativity. It’s a shame because there was definitely potential for something more polished. For me, it’s a 6/10. (2023-08-17)

For four fifths of the running time, this was the best horror flick of the year. Beautifully atmospheric, like a walk through a visual horror gallery where pretty much every shot has something going on for it. A weird mum, a weird dad, a weird house; poor boy. It feels like a bizarre, psychotic nightmare about monsters in the family that you can't wake up from. The whole thing is so out of step with the logic of everyday life and behaviour that I felt it had the makings of a future cult-classic with a legion of fans who will return to it fondly. Unfortunately, the ending kind of throws a wrench in the works, and many moments suddenly don't work as they should. Maybe it needed more money for visual effects, or a more experienced editor, I don’t know, but by the end I lost that feeling of full immersion, and in the moments where there was supposed to be a terrifying climax, it was hard for me not to grin in amusement. Not to mention that the hitherto appreciated “dream illogic” becomes, well, just stupid illogic as the story progresses. And please, for the next time, the monster shouldn’t have a long expository monologue. (2023-08-14)