Cobweb is a 2023 horror film currently occupying third place on Amazon Prime Video’s international top ten list. Its vague title, familiar premise, and abysmal marketing campaign left it in the dark. Lionsgate released their low-budget horror movie on Oppenheimer and Barbie’s shared opening day for no apparent reason. I can’t think of a worse moment to drop a new film than at the starting gun of Barbenheimer fever. Though it struggled at the box office, Cobweb has a worldwide streaming audience.
Cobweb Crawls Up Amazon’s Top Ten
Cobweb follows Peter, an eight-year-old boy living with his overbearing parents. His mother, Lizzy Caplan as Carol, is overprotective but often showers him with praise. His father, Anthony Starr’s Mark, veers wildly between goofy suburban dad jokes and abusive discipline. Peter struggles with bullies at school, but his kind substitute teacher offers support. One night, Peter hears tapping on his bedroom wall. His parents wave away his concerns, but he ignores their excuses. The nondescript sounds give way to distinct whispers. A little girl’s voice penetrates the silence of Peter’s dark bedroom. His parents deny it, but he learns from the voice in his wall. He lashes out at his bullies, draws concerning pictures in class, and gradually grows to fear his parents. As the truth of the voice in his wall reveals itself, Peter finds horror where he once found serenity.
Yes, Cobweb is a “person in the wall” movie. The trope has become common across the past few years. I agree it’s a bit overused, but the problem is in its execution. William Brent Bell’s The Boy features (spoilers) a killer in the walls pretending to be a doll. Cobweb unveils its “person in the wall” twist almost immediately. It isn’t the big reveal that connects the missing dots. Wes Craven’s The People Under the Stairs is the best cultural reference point. Like that 1991 black comedy, there’s more going on in Samuel Bodin’s directorial debut. While Cobweb relies heavily on tropes, its execution elevates it far beyond most examples. Consistent creepy imagery, impermeable atmosphere, and stellar cinematography keep the film engaging. Its tight 88-minute runtime also helps. It’s a fast-paced thrill ride that pays off with a truly shocking third act.
Related:
10 Best Horror Films Of 2023Horror fans drove this lesser-known entry to #3 on Amazon’s international top ten, but you can also find it on Hulu. Most of its views come from Latin America, with countries like Nicaragua, Guatemala, Chile, and Costa Rica placing Cobweb in their first-place slot. Audiences have always been kind to the film. Critics slapped the project with a 59% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, only a point shy of Certified Fresh status. Conversely, audience reviews left it with a 71% positive score. If you love well-executed, if slightly familiar horror films, you’ll get caught up in Cobweb.
