In Cobweb, it is a week until Halloween, and in the town of Holdenfield, 8-year-old Peter is woken up at 1:45am by a strange noise in his bedroom. After investigating the noise, Peter believes it is coming from behind the bedroom wall.
Peter is rightly terrified by the noise, but after waking his parents up he is calmed down and he goes back to sleep. The next day Peter’s father suggests the noise was likely caused by rats and tells him it’s not something he should be worried about.
However, later that night, after Peter has gone to sleep, he is woken up once more by noises. Only this time, the noises are accompanied by a voice asking for help.
Over the coming days, Peter hears the voice more and more discovers something strange is occurring in the house. But as he will soon learn, he’s in grave danger in more ways than one.
Directed by Samuel Bodin, Cobweb is an atmospheric mystery horror movie. Cobweb stars Woody Norman, Antony Starr, Lizzy Caplan, and Cleopatra Coleman, and following a limited theatrical run in the US back in July, it arrives in UK cinemas on Friday 1st September.
The film debuts over here just as the spooky season starts to get going, and if you’re a fan of horror you’re going to want to take a look. Cobweb is a captivating picture, built around an intriguing premise, with an excellent cast, great set design, and some superb cinematography.
Parts of it are unsettling, parts are downright creepy, and all of it has been pieced together with care and attention. Cobweb is one of those movies which hits just right from its opening sequence, and maintains a high level of consistency for almost all of its runtime.
At the forefront of the picture is young actor Woody Norman, who impresses as Peter. Norman has to carry a number of scenes throughout the film, quite often where Peter is on his own, and he never misses his mark.
Due to his age, and some of the events which transpire in the movie, Peter is seen to be extremely vulnerable. Norman understands this about his character, leans into each disturbing and distressing situation, and brings this vulnerability to each scene.
He’s then backed up by some strong performances, particularly from Antony Starr and Lizzy Caplan. Both actors are truly excellent in Cobweb and really know how to sell the horror.
There are many elements of Cobweb that are effective, but for me the casting of Starr and Caplan is significant. They deliver everything they are asked to do and more, creating performances which stay in the mind for quite a while, and add so much to the picture.
Outside of the central cast, the overall look and feel of Cobweb is excellent. From the way the film is staged and shot, with plenty of wide angles to draw in the audiences’ attention, through to the set dressing, the use of lighting, and the costuming.
Cobweb is a movie built from various different components, all pulling in the right direction, and all demonstrate director Samuel Bodin’s eye for detail. The fact he mostly utilises atmosphere and practical effects over jump scares and extensive CGI is also encouraging, as it highlights his desire to remain in touch with classic movie making rather than go down the route some horror directors take these days.
Incidentally, this is Bodin’s first feature-length movie, following some shorts and TV work, and it is a strong start. If he can maintain this level moving forward, and then build on it for future films, I’m excited to see what will come next.
With the exception of a slightly fudged ending, which comes after an otherwise solid final act, I have nothing particularly negative to say about Cobweb. This is an impressive little horror, which continually delivers and is ideal for those who have had enough of the summer and who are now ready for some scares.
Ideally, go and see this film at the cinema, but at the very least pop Cobweb on your watchlist for Halloween. It has the right amount of tricks and treats for those who love to indulge at this time of year.
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