“Cobweb” is a movie I’d mostly heard about through various social media clips, specifically a dinner scene where Antony Starr and Lizzy Caplan play strangely behaving parents who realize something is “off” about their son. Nothing is more off than the disgusting-looking soup they seem happy to eat at that particular moment.
I’m not surprised about its lack of visibility in the horror genre, considering it only managed to generate $10 million worldwide in 2023. Not only was the marketing somewhat scarce, but it was probably overshadowed by bigger releases that year like “Evil Dead Rise,” the latest “Insidious” movie and the build-up to “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”
Now that “Cobweb” has landed on Netflix (as of September 19), I was intrigued to give it a chance, and now I’m happy to report it’s worthy of a spot on your Halloween watchlist. Mainly down to the fact that it has major “Coraline” vibes, and while there are very clear (and obvious) differences, it has a certain whimsical nature about it. Just much darker and more twisted.
At its core, “Cobweb” is about a child discovering that the home he thought was safe may be hiding dark secrets. I can’t deny it has glaring flaws, but it’s exactly the kind of eerie, unsettling movie that makes for a perfect Halloween watch on U.S. Netflix. And no, it’s not too early for spooky season.
What is ‘Cobweb’ about?
“Cobweb” centers on Peter (Woody Norman), an 8-year-old boy who lives with his overprotective parents, Carol (Lizzy Caplan) and Mark (Antony Starr). Peter begins to hear persistent knocking sounds emanating from the walls of his bedroom.
Initially, his parents dismiss these noises as figments of his imagination. However, the sounds persist, and Peter starts to communicate with a voice claiming to be trapped within the walls. This voice reveals unsettling truths about his parents’ past and their hidden secrets.
The deeper Peter goes into the mystery, the more he uncovers about his family that he never expected. The story tracks his confrontation with these shocking truths and their impact on how he perceives his own home.
‘Cobweb’ is a small but potent horror movie
The first thing that struck me while watching “Cobweb” was how eerily similar it feels to “Coraline,” even though it isn’t animated or explicitly labeled as dark fantasy. The design choices and the premise of a child navigating otherworldly moments with strange parents draw clear parallels. And I’m not imagining it: director Samuel Bodin has said “Coraline” was very much on his mind while making “Cobweb.”
He described wanting the movie to carry a “mythical feel,” a slightly “off-kilter” reality where everything seems distorted and not quite grounded. That’s exactly the vibe I got: a fairytale-like unease, with weird domestic spaces and an eerie atmosphere filtered through a child’s perspective.
The movie’s subtle fantastical elements are its strongest feature. Peter starts out experiencing serious bullying at school, before he begins hearing a mysterious voice from inside the wall. As a viewer, you not only question the voice but also his strange parents, Carol and Mark, who are overprotective and eerily appear in frame. Their elongated shadows and stiff postures, framed deliberately by the camera, make them feel like walking porcelain dolls. It’s a pretty great (but creepy) visual.
Antony Starr and Lizzy Caplan are the clear standouts in “Cobweb.” If you’ve seen “The Boys,” you know how eerily unpredictable Starr can be. Caplan is just as compelling, with a performance in “Castle Rock” that closely mirrors the unsettling essence of her character here. Carol and Mark aren’t exactly loving parents, but leaning into the movie’s fantastical elements, they put on uncanny smiles, carve pumpkins, and bake cakes to create the illusion of a normal household.
I didn’t really know what to expect when going into this horror flick, other than some general knowledge after reading the synopsis. But I came out pleasantly surprised, having jumped a few times and held a blanket over my face whenever the suspense got too much. There’s one scene of Peter looking through a mysterious hole in his wall and I think I held my breath the entire time.
“Cobweb” knows how to scare you, which is exactly what a Halloween movie should do. While the twist is fairly obvious and the final act is the weakest part, strong performances from Starr and Caplan, paired with the movie’s fantastical cinematography (complete with locked doors, grandfather clocks, and shadows that feel like stop-motion) make this a genuinely engaging watch. And you’ll want to see it through because it’ll have you entangled in a dark web from the start.
You can stream ‘Cobweb’ on Netflix now
“Cobweb” is no perfect horror movie by any means, and the ending might leave you frustrated given its bold and predictable nature. But if you’re a fan of “Coraline” or need something easy to watch in the lead-up to Halloween, this is a solid pick. And I believe the critics were a little harsh.
The movie stands at 59% on Rotten Tomatoes, just shy of a fresh rating. The critics' consensus states: “This itsy bitsy horror film creeps and crawls.” Meanwhile, the audience score is higher at 71%: “Cobweb is suspenseful and scary (even if the ending could be better) and Lizzy Caplan is always fun to watch.”
Halloween is my favorite time of the year, and I always keep a watchlist on rotation. After seeing “Cobweb,” I can confidently say it’s earned a spot not just because it’s actually set around Halloween, but because it’s a uniquely unsettling horror movie that makes your skin crawl. Once the twist hits, you’ll think twice before peeking into the darkest corners of your room.
Stream "Cobweb" on Netflix now.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
