Review of SPIDER

"One insane man tells another a story. He once knew a man who liked gas so much that he put his head in the oven and turned it on. As he sat there, he changed his mind only to discover that his head was stuck. If you can figure out what's wrong with this story, you have a basic understanding behind the secret of Spider and its title character. Director David Cronenberg and screenwriter Patrick McGrath (adapting his novel, which is now high on my must-read list) effortlessly set up clues and foreshadow later revelations because they do not seem to be clues or foreshadowing. The reason for this is that Spider is the essence of its central character. He is a mystery, and so is the film. He is detached from the world; the film is detached from its world. He meanders and walks around the truth; the film takes its time to let him. He is confused; we are confused. As he discovers, we discover. He is the unwitting pawn of his own mind and we, the spectators. Insanity is a popular subject throughout art because, I think, it frightens us. The human mind is a complex machine, and there have to be the occasional kinks in the equipment. Spider lets us into such a mind. It isn't a film; it's a nightmare."

Mark's Full Review