MOVIE REVIEW – Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr authentically evoke the image of real-life “horrible parents” (a phrase borrowed from Jean Cocteau) in this slow-moving, sometimes disjointed, but skillfully moving horror film of storytelling and fear-mongering. Though Cobweb often excels in scares and great horror atmosphere, the confusing plot and editing unfortunately prevent it from making the most of its crazy concept.

The hype surrounding Cobweb began in 2018, when Chris Thomas Devlin’s (2022’s “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) script appeared on The Black List, an annual survey of the most popular screenplays that have yet to be made into movies. Expectations were raised after stars Lizzy Caplan (“Fatal Attraction,” “Castle Rock”) and Antony Starr (“The Boys”) joined the project. With a locked script and big guns, Cobweb looked like a surefire success. Unfortunately, something went wrong in the editing room that put an exciting concept in jeopardy.

Peter is bullied everywhere he goes, and things are no better at school or at home

Cobweb follows the story of eight-year-old Peter (Woody Norman), a shy kid who is often bullied at school and has trouble making friends. Peter’s situation at home isn’t much better, as his overprotective parents (Caplan and Starr) impose strict rules that constantly annoy the unhappy kid, who basically just wants to feel good about himself and have his parents love and be proud of him. The plot of the movie begins with a one-week countdown to Halloween, and it soon becomes clear that Peter will not be allowed to participate in the “trick-or-treat” rituals of children in the US. Peter’s situation at school improves when he meets a substitute teacher, Miss Devine (Cleopatra Coleman). At home, however, Peter gives his parents a hard time after telling them he hears strange scratching and knocking noises in his bedroom wall.

As the days pass and Halloween approaches, something hidden in the wall begins to whisper dark secrets in Peter’s ear. Meanwhile, the boy’s parents escalate the punishment they inflict on Peter for allegedly lying about the noises he hears. The parents are clearly hiding something, as strange things have been happening in the house since the beginning of the movie. Nevertheless, Cobweb keeps the mystery going until the end, with varying degrees of success.

Playing with horror clichés and our nerves

Every clue about the sound in the wall brings the player closer to figuring out what is happening. Moreover, because Cobweb plays with familiar horror clichés, fans of the genre will soon be able to piece together what the game is all about, and what dark secrets lurk in the past and present of a couple who only seem sympathetic at the beginning of the movie. As we gradually (and a bit slowly…) uncover the horrible secrets, the movie turns into a kind of anticipation as we wait for the horrible chaos that ‘Cobweb’ unleashes. Unfortunately, even though things get deliciously crazy in the final haul, the journey is interrupted by some creative choices.

Despite its short running time of 98 minutes, “Cobweb” tries to handle too many parallel subplots. While the relationship between Peter and his parents is the main driving force of the story, we also see the boy bonding with his teacher and defying the bullies. Meanwhile, the voice in the wall becomes more present as the clock ticks down to Halloween. There is also a very different mystery about a girl who disappeared four years earlier, whose disappearance may explain Peter’s parents’ obsession with his safety and obedience.

All these threads are intertwined in the ending, but there isn’t enough room to reveal everything beyond the surface. Instead, we often feel that “Cobweb” jumps to new scenes without leaving enough time for the previous ones. The lack of coherence between some of the moments in ‘Cobweb’ is exacerbated by the fact that some key events take place off-screen. It’s as if entire scenes were left in the editing room, which is hard to justify considering how quickly the movie gets to the credits.

Even Jean Cocteau would approve of these “Terrible Parents”

In the worst parts of “Cobweb,” Caplan and Starr carry the movie on their backs. The two stars understand the script perfectly and play the role of the parents with an anxious ambiguity that enlivens every scene they are in. So when the mystery of “Cobweb” struggles to engage the viewer, Caplan and Starr are there with their blend of genuine affection and unflinching authority. Without the duo, it would be harder to get to the end. It’s a shame, because the third act of “Cobweb” is exactly what a “bloody” horror movie should be. Lizzy Caplan, who was also brilliant as the young Torture in the Castle Rock series, shows her skills here and maybe she could be used in more blockbuster movies instead of the hyped-up divas of today.

Although a horror movie is at its best when it has something to say, people also seek this kind of entertainment to be scared in a safe space, the movie theater. There’s something captivating about the adrenaline rush you get from watching a scary movie in a darkened theater. Fortunately, that thrill remains with “Nest of Fear” because as soon as the movie takes its foot off the dramatic brake, it feeds off the same kind of crazed, frenetic energy that made movies like “The Barbarian” successful, pulling the rug out from under the audience and cranking up the true horror experience to the max.

Technically, it could have done with some work

From a technical standpoint, there was room for improvement in The Nest of Fear, especially in the somewhat clumsy visual effects used in the third act. Inconsistent and not always convincing rendering of CGI shadows and certain scary creatures can detract from the viewer’s experience, although the overall scares of the movie are flawless. More attention to production design would have allowed the movie to stay with us longer after we leave the theater.

-BadSector-