Cobweb – A Buried Treasure Horror Film

Cobweb hasn’t even been out for a full month yet and it’s already looking like it’ll go down as one of the more slept on and underappreciated films of the year. It makes no sense why the studio would release this in a very limited rollout on the same weekend as Barbie and Oppenheimer, barely promote it, and then dump it on VOD 3 weeks later with virtually no awareness when pretty well every horror related film is making a killing right now and the fact that it’s actually very good. Cobweb focuses on 8-year-old Peter (Norman) who becomes horrified when he tries to investigate the mysterious knocking noises that are coming from inside the walls of his house and a dark secret that his sinister parents Mark (Starr) and Carol (Caplan) are keeping hidden from him.

Cobweb is the type of horror film that benefits from going in knowing as little as possible but even knowing the basic premise, audiences are still likely to not predict all the unexpected directions the plot heads in. This is a well-made horror film that’s unpredictable and features several twists and turns that constantly subvert expectations and offers up real surprises. It’s creepy, atmospheric, and there are times where it could get under one’s skin. But as unnerving as this can be, it isn’t afraid to get campy and even a little goofy at points when it wants to but thankfully, it works and makes the experience even more fun. Without giving the slightest hint away, it takes inspiration from and is very comparable in terms of tone, spirit, and style to two recently beloved horror films in Malignant and Barbarian while still being its own distinct thing. This along with those other two movies would make for a perfect triple feature and there’s an argument to be made that you can watch them as an unofficial trilogy around Halloween time.

The performances are all very good for the most part and it’s nice to see Woody Norman getting a lot more roles after his breakout in C’mon C’mon. Norman makes for a great lead as Peter and carries the film well, allowing audiences to instantly sympathize and connect with him. Antony Starr is great as always and he brings such an intense and off-putting vibe to his role as the father. Cleopatra Coleman doesn’t get a ton to do as Miss Devine but she’s good here as well and the connection she forms with Peter gives the film some needed heart. While the third act has its own issues, it’s impossible to not be entertained at the carnage and chaos that happens on screen.

Unfortunately, while it is a rock-solid horror film that everybody should be checking out, it falls just short of greatness due to a few slight missteps along the way. It’s nice to see Lizzy Caplan in a horror film doing something completely different than what audiences typically see her doing but she might’ve been a little miscast here. Her performance just doesn’t fully work and what she was going for with her character stood out in a negative way, especially compared to the rest of the cast to the point that it almost feels like she’s in a different film. While the third act might be the most entertaining part of the film, it also contains its most notable flaws. Again, without giving anything away, the filmmakers don’t quite stick the landing with that third act, featuring an abrupt ending with a rushed climax.

But aside from a few grievances, Cobweb kind of rules and is easily one of the better horror films of the year and one that should be getting a lot more praise and recognition. It’s less than 90-minutes long, takes place around Halloween time, and is available to rent on VOD right now, so horror fans don’t really have any excuses not to watch it. That being said, the release strategy of the film remains baffling as had it actually been promoted or released properly, it likely would’ve turned in a nice profit for Lionsgate.

still courtesy of Lionsgate

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/