Today’s film asks and answers: “And why shouldn’t we treat convicts like guinea pigs?” I suppose that’s a reasonable question. “Do we need to spend two hours on it?” is, IMHO, another reasonable question. Welcome to the condemned-eat-condemned world of Spiderhead, where the cure is worse than the disease.
Spiderhead is the rare combination minimum security prison/data tech lab. Who knows where the real science is going on in this place? All we see is prisoners lazing about unobstructed like college kids in a common room. Each prisoner is supplied a chemical-release packet to be worn in the small of the back at all times. On command, the dude in charge, Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth), can release any of five different behavior-altering chemicals into the system of a given subject.
Oh, and the chemicals are really somethin’, huh? This point is demonstrated early on when head subject, Jeff (Miles Teller), swears a factory spewing toxic smoke is the most beautiful thing he’s even seen. Then we get to question Abnesti’s motivations when he takes the role of voyeur after releasing something called N-40 into the body of Jeff and a female patient. Entering their particular rat maze, the two have no positive feelings for one another. In fact it’s quite clear the woman wants nothing to do with Jeff. However, within 60 seconds of N-40 release, they’re having sex on the spot. If you’re not getting the idea of how dangerous this situation is at this point, it is only because you haven’t seen violence happen.
So here’s the question – if the prisoners are willing, is it kosher to experiment on them in this fashion? Is it ok to toy with their emotions and responses? Is there not an element of coercion when the subjects are serving time? OK, OK, let’s go further. Let’s say you’re ok with this –hey, they’re willing adults; they gave consent; they’re living better than so many other felons, clearly. What’s the harm? I get that. Here’s the harm: how far does that that consent go? Even with consent, is the agent allowed to administer a drug that makes one suicidal? Why or why not?
Unfortunately, that’s a deeper question than the film wanted to answer. The Spiderhead screenplay comes off as minimalistic a
s the Spiderhead facility. What could have been a greater look at the nature of incarceration (like The Stanford Prison Experiment) instead comes off as a battle of wills between two guys we don’t especially like. I suppose we like Jeff a tad more than Abnesti, but whatever positive we take from his personality is wrapped in a world of experimental drugs and a suspense-building mystery solved in about ten seconds.
This film seems more sensationalistic than inspired. Spiderweb was able to collect two of the hottest young actors in the world, Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller, and then gave them only the barest of plots to complement their talents. I think there was a good movie in here somewhere – one that explored prison behavior and warden elitism, but this ain’t it, chief. Such a shame because a lot of people would love to watch a true showdown between these two. Instead, we’re left wondering if we the audience actually been the experimental subjects all along.
♪Spiderhead, Spiderhead
Modern prison or talks of Ted?
Accept the drugs, THE MAN supplies
Feels like pulling wings off flies
Look out! Don’t go to Spiderhead
From the thrill of crime, to the rush of a drug
Take the right combo
You’ll have sex with a rug
Spiderhead, Spiderhead
Experimenting ‘til you are dead
Welcome friends! Take your pill
If this don’t move you, nothing will
Look out! Don’t go to Spiderhead♫
Rated R, 106 Minutes
Director: Joseph Kosinki
Writer: Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick
Genre: Drugs?
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Conspiracy theorists
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Psychoanalysts
♪ Parody Inspired by “Spider-Man Theme”
