SPIDERHEAD
US, 2022, 106 minutes, Colour.
Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller, Jurnee Smollett, Mark Paguio, Tess Haubrich.
Directed by Joseph Kosinski.
Spiderhead is an island with a facility for mental and physical patients. Audiences may be reminded of Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, again with its mysterious facility, the doctors, the staff, the patients and their mental conditions.
It would be good to be able to say that Spiderhead matches Shutter Island – but, no, it is slighter.
Stories which show a medical authority in control of patients and staff, experiments which may or may not be legitimate, suspicious methods, are reminders of the classic Doctor Frankenstein story. Doctor Frankenstein was trying to create life, to “play God”, a divine arrogance which created a monster.
To that extent, Spiderhead is a Frankenstein story. At the centre is a rather dashing young expert (Doctor or not?), played with easy charm by Chris Hemsworth. He is in control of the island – although he keeps referring to outside authorities. He is responsible. He has an assistant, Mark (Mark Paguio) diminutive, something of a yes-man, but a suspicious collaborator. And, on Spiderhead there are quite a number of patients.
The difference is that these patients have all been found guilty in a court but have opted to go to Spiderhead rather than serve in an ordinary jail. They seem to have something of a comfortable life despite the restrictions, can relate well to one another, be a chef in the kitchen, be a deputy for the Director.
The Director is interested in drugs, drugs creating particular mental states, controlling the subjects, manipulating them. Which means that there are quite a number of scenes where he is in control, one woman out of control, another being manipulated to erotic behaviour, a violent African who participated in genocide, a tattooed brute of a man…
However, his main interest is in a prisoner who had been responsible for the car crash death of friends and who is haunted by guilt, excepting the blame. He is Jeff, played by Miles Teller. Jeff is also under the control of drugs but has close-up focus, sitting in the control room with the Director and Mark, observing, going into the main room to be observed, to be manipulated, but, as we might guess, being morally challenged by what he sees.
And, the Director we suddenly find has the drug pack implanted in his back, so that he too has the hallucinatory experiences.
What follows is more or less what we might have developed in the plotline, Jeff and a relationship with the chef, and his stands, Mark overcoming fear and taking a stance, some mayhem with the patients, and expose of the Director.
The film was directed by Joseph Kosinski (Tron: Legacy, Only the Brave) who made it in Australia during the two-year delayed release of his Top Gun: Maverick, Spiderhead being released on Netflix three weeks after Top Gun (whose box office exceeded all expectations!).
- Future, science fiction, mind enhancing drugs, experiments and tests, exploitation? Echoes of the Dr Frankenstein mythology?
- The location, the sea and islands, the building and the prison, outside views, interiors, the laboratory, the observation room, the facilities in the prison? The musical score?
- The credibility of the plot, Steve Abnesti, his control, and answerable to no one? The setup, the experimental room, the observation room and technology? Working with Mark, Mark and his idealism? Disillusionment? The various chemicals, the Bingo chart, the numbers, the different drugs and their names, the various effects? The container, inserted into the backs of the prisoners, Steve and his own container and use of it?
- The visualising of the various tests and experiments, the man from Rob under and genocide, the women, the big tattooed man, Heather, Jeff and his part and the experiments? The effect of the different drugs, moods, happy, sad, aggressive, defensive? Forced copulation? Mark and his administering, wary?
- Steve, his own life, nothing outside the prison, his own pack, the drugs, at night, the effect? The Dr Frankenstein parallel, creating life, arrogant, destructive? Steve and his manner, smooth talker, smiling, moods?
- Jeff, the flashbacks to the accident, blaming himself, in prison, friendship with Steve, participating in the tests, the episode with Heather and his reaction, agreeing, being forced by Steve, observing, the tattooed man, Steve and the chart of interconnections, Jeff and his refusal? Standing up to Steve? The discussions with Mark? His friendship with Lizzie, her work in the kitchen, skills, bonding, love, her being tested, the moods, desperation, Steve forcing her to confess the death of her child? Jeff’s reaction, wanting to save her?
- The episode with Heather, the moods, the drugs out of control, her frenzy, killing herself?
- Steve, hurrying to the room, dropping his keys, Jeff getting the keys, examining his book, learning the truth?
- Lizzie and the experiments, Jeff rescuing her?
- Steve, desperation, the drugs, going to the plane, flying, the effect of the drugs, his crashing?
- Freedom for the prisoners, rushing the gate, pursuing Jeff and Lizzie, Jeff and Lizzie and the launch, freedom?
