Based on a short story Escape from Spiderhead, Spiderhead tells the story of the near future where convicts are offered the chance to volunteer as medical subjects to shorten their sentence. One such subject, testing a new drug capable of generating feelings of love, begins questioning the reality of his emotions.
I watched this movie for two reasons: Miles Teller and the fact that I am participating in a medical study myself.
The concept is interesting and unique. Spiderhead takes ideas about morals, drug trials, and free will, exploring them from an interesting angle.
Chris Hemsworth is good in this movie. It is nice seeing him do more roles outside of Thor and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He can play more serious roles while still being funny.
Miles Teller is great as well. I have been a fan since Divergent and I am convinced that he can do anything. In this film, he brings a lot of depth to the performance and plot. All of the acting throughout the film is very strong.
The aesthetic and overall look of the film were great. It feels futuristic and dystopian while also feeling sterile and bright. I noticed that Spiderhead does not know its own tone. At points it is complete sci fi, drama, light humor, and hardcore thriller. The film feels a bit long and I believe about 20 minutes could have been cut to make the story much more streamlined. This movie is very high concept and sets up a lot, however the stylized choices overshadow the plot.