Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller headline Joseph Kosniki’s newest sci-fi thriller on Netflix, ‘Spiderhead.’ As of the time of writing this, the film is firmly trending in the top 10 in India. Given the response, it should continue. It is one of the hottest movies to watch on Netflix. Various fears and insecurities of the general public around pharmaceutical experimentations and new innovations in the real world come to realization in ‘Spiderhead.’ The title refers to the facility where such macabre activities occur. An investigative group uncovers some big conspiracy every now and then. These things can induce intense paranoia and make you restless. That is somewhat most significant attraction as well which we will cover in this Spiderhead Review.
Kosinski, who recently tasted substantial commercial success with Top Gun: Maverick, is in cruise control. He mixes the comedy and thriller genres here with good balance. Neither part of the story is too skewed to dominate the other. This balance leads to decent story progression that unfurls in a slow-burn fashion. Most of the laughs come from the nature of the experiments themselves. On the flip side, heavy emotional baggage is also attached to them. In this explainer article on ‘Spiderhead,’ we will go through every confusing pilot point in detail. This is your one-stop shop to clear all your doubts about what happens in the plot. Read on to know more!
Spiderhead Review: Plot Synopsis
Spiderhead is the facility’s name overseen by Steve Absneti and Mark, his assistant. It is on a secluded island, and hosts incarcerated criminals seeking a reduced sentence. Not only are these subjects criminals, but they are also damaged people with personality issues. Jeff (Teller) is Steve’s most reliable man in the facility, and most of the experiments on the drugs we see are done with/on him.
During an experiment, the dosage levels go awry, and the subject, Heather, kills herself. Steve and Mark, who watch all the experiments from behind a glass window, rush to the room. This allows Jeff to go through Steve’s personal drawer (using the keys he dropped in a hurry). The result is shocking and forces him to plan an escape with his girlfriend, Lizzy.
What are all the drugs, and what do they do?
The drugs that Mark puts in the MobiPak of all participants are Luvactin, Verbaluce, Darkenfloxx, and most importantly, Obidiex. While the names are unimportant, their usage and why they’re being experimented with are essential. Luvactin, as the name suggests, is the “love drug.” It is administered to Jeff and Heather, then to Jeff and Sally, forcing them to be attracted to each other.
Verbaluce is something that Steve and Mark use to get the correct description of a situation or a reaction to their precious notes. It stimulates the part of the brain that forms sentences and memorizes words. Owing to Jeff’s educational background, Steve often uses the drug on him to get the notes right for his research.
Darkenfloxx, makes the patients go crazy. It unleashes chaos. The drug has the unique ability to make you angry and confused simultaneously, leading to a feeling of paranoia and hate. Heather, unfortunately, has an overdose and dies. Things get really ugly whenever a participant has it.
Mark had warned Jeff earlier that the Pak is sensitive to wild movements. It must remain in its position for the drugs to be contained and not released simultaneously. The overdose of Darkenfloxx disturbs her sense of balance and she bangs herself against the wall. This disturbs her Pak and results in all the drugs being mixed together.
Why are the experiments being conducted?
Steve owns a company, Absneti Pharmaceuticals, that markets finished dosages. He is a bit of a megalomaniac and has wild intentions to bring the world under control. All the other drugs – darkenfloxx, verbaluce, luvactin – except O-B-D-X are decoys for this drug he is obsessed with. It is why he started the program and went through all this effort. Steve wants his company to manufacture a drug that can successfully get someone to obey orders. He is not targeting an altered state of mind: complete and absolute obedience, without conditions, is what he is after.
Another shocker that we get midway is that there is no “Protocols Committee” that Steve keeps mentioning. He actually uses the name of this made-up entity to do what he wants. Even when the participants, especially Jeff, say it is dangerous to use a particular drug, Steve overrules them on this technicality. These participants, after all, voluntarily joined the program and did so to reduce their jail sentences. It is a form of biotechnical warfare that Steve exploits his subjects with. If successful, Absneti has big plans to market the drug and revive his company’s reputed name.
Spiderhead Review: The Climax
We saw for the entire film that Mark was a sensitive guy. He had a conscience and had only joined Steve because he believed him to be a genius. So when Jeff confronts him over it, he cracks. His morality does not allow him to go through with the experiment anymore, especially after Heather kills herself under the influence of darkenfloxx. Jeff secretly opens Steve’s diary when he accidentally drops the keys. Along with the bingo board – that Steve used to name drugs by putting a gold star on the boxes – he finds the obidiex drug in it.
We see in several scenes that Mark has a good conscience – which Jeff appeals to. As a result, Mark feels compelled to help Jeff. This is also manipulation to some extent if you look at it from Steve’s perspective, but we are not complaining if it saves the world. Mark makes up a sickness excuse and departs the island. Jeff was responsible for administering the B-6, which he filled Steve’s Pak with before doing so. This way, Jeff is to control Steve with the drugs and use the O-B-D-X on him. He only has to hold him until the police arrive with Mark.
In the final confrontation, Abnseti shows tremendous grit to overcome the effect of the drugs. He not only is able to stand up and make the announcement on the PA, but he also flies a helicopter. Because Steve cannot see his MobiPak and is too focused on the experiment, he does not get a hint of this planning. Also, in Jeff’s room, he purposely uses a blind spot to fool the cameras. So even if Steve had rewinded the tapes, he still could not have figured out the plan.
Spiderhead Themes and Analysis
The absolute absence of free will is an extraordinarily frightening thought. These Orwellian realities can destroy the world and make life rather dull. It might even usher in the age of robots and oligarchs controlling the world at their fingertips. ‘Spiderhead’ only mentions them briefly when Steve is asked about the drug by Jeff. But his mindset is something that is in itself a more significant issue. Many MNCs walk all over government regulations and restrictions to do as they please. Their entitlement destroys the system and puts maniacal men like Steve in charge.
More prominently, we saw Kosinksi explore Jeff’s guilt-ridden and traumatized conscience over the accident and the death of his friends. He did well in parts in Top Gun: Maverick as well, so there are no surprises here. What the director does so well is space out the different versions of the incident in Jeff’s head. More often than not, we replay those instances in different versions to distance ourselves from the grief the actual damage brings. We try to come out on top of it and do not like being attached to them. It is a remarkable narrative tool that serves ‘Spiderhead’ well.
Spiderhead Ending Sequence Explained
The ending is set up perfectly for a thrilling finale. Jeff turns the tables on Steve as he takes control of his Pak. He shows him a glimpse of what the participants actually went through, having no control of their free will. Lizzy is given a dose of 100% I-16 by Steve, who then attempts to commit suicide, as Heather did. Lizzy’s life is just about saved when he calms her about her daughter’s confession. She then tries to escape with him.
On his way back to the facility, Steve announces over the PA system that Lizzy and Jeff escaping would be a bad outcome for them. As a result of taking the B-6 drug, they will listen to anything he says and follow after them. A combination of good luck and quick thinking allowed them to escape. During his fight with Jeff, Steve overdoses on the drugs after breaking his Pak. They can take the remaining vials aboard his plane. He then loses his grasp on reality due to the drugs and crashes his plane into a mountain. The police board the island with Mark as Lizzy and Jeff drive off in Steve’s boat to live their lives in freedom.
Spiderhead Review: Verdict- Watch it or Skip it?
There are no pretenses on Kosinkis’s part to make ‘Spiderhead’ serious-minded and flawless. His narrative carries the imperfections rather well. Combining two of the most exciting and easy-to-execute genres of comedy and mystery, Kosinkis just about manages to get the populist sentiment on his side. The film is enjoyable and thoroughly entertaining. Definitely a watch rating for it!
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