Cobweb (2023) – A Hidden Horror Gem You Don’t Want to Miss

 Posted by FILM FLICK VERSE | Horror Reviews | Psychological Thrillers

"They say you have nothing to be afraid of in the dark. but what if the danger is in your own home?"

Cobweb is one of those films that slipped under the radar in 2023, but it just shouldn't have. Directed by Samuel Bodin (the brains behind Netflix's Marianne), this creepy psychological horror has a very disturbing tale packed with mystery, child trauma, and loads of fear.

What's It About?

Peter is a shy eight-year-old boy. But the walls of his bedroom tap strangely to him. His parents, Carol (Lizzy Caplan) and Mark (Antony Starr), assure him it's in his head. But Peter knows it is not in his head. As the whispers grow louder, he starts to discover a horrifying secret that his family has been hiding from him.

Not every brother and sister are destined to be reunited.

Cast and Crew Highlights

• Director: Samuel Bodin
• Writer: Chris Thomas Devlin (this script was on the 2018 Black List)
• Starring:
• Peter is Woody Norman.
• Lizzy Caplan as Carol (mom)
• Antony Starr as Mark (father)
• Cleopatra Coleman is Miss Devine (Peter's teacher)
• Genre: Horror Story / Supernatural
• Runtime: 88 minutes
• Release Date: 21 Jul 2023
• Production: Vertigo Entertainment, Point Grey Pictures, Lionsgate

The Atmosphere: Creepy, Quiet, and Extremely Disturbing

In the initial frame, Cobweb constructs a world that is unfamiliar but in a good way. The setting is filled with autumn hues and Halloween symbolism—jack-o'-lanterns glow, shadows stretch down corridors, and each quiet moment hangs in suspension.

It's half horror movie and half emotional thriller. The tension isn't created through jump scares but gradually builds up through the atmosphere, concealed secrets, and the feeling that something awful is going to happen at any given time.

Themes That Endure

This film packs punches on the topics of:

• Childhood loneliness
• Parent manipulation
• Anxiety about not being trusted.
• The hazy distinction between reality and imagination

Bodin writes in a dark fairytale tone, akin to Guillermo del Toro, but not a happy one. It's about the monsters we overlook—the ones that assist us during the night.

Reception & Performance

• Rotten Tomatoes: 62%
• Metacritic: 50/100

Others disliked it—some loved the tone and performances (particularly Lizzy Caplan's creepy mom style), while some thought the finale was subpar. But slow-burning horrors with rich undertones are always a favorite with us, so Cobweb is a film we recommend.

Box Office Information

• Budget: $20–35 million 
• Worldwide Gross: ~$7.7 million
• Home Video Rentals: approximately $285,000 (U.S.)

While promising, Cobweb had a disappointing box office performance. However, as is the case with so many of the lesser horror films, it is now well-liked on streaming websites and in horror forums.

My Final Opinion

Cobweb may not be for everyone-but if you like horror that is subtle, inexplicable, and full of a pervading sense of foreboding, then it is well worth your time.

The glacial pace may be unengaging for ordinary viewers, yet the climax is spine-chilling and satisfying. It's that kind of a movie that keeps one thinking long after it's over. 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars 

Did you see Cobweb? 

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