Antony Starr's 2023 Underrated Horror Gem That Challenges A24's Latest Hit
This is one gem that can't slip through your fingers if you consider yourself a true horror movie fan.
The horror genre has given fans a treat in 2023 with exceptional films like Evil Dead Rise, Talk To Me, and more. While Talk To Me went on to become one of A24's biggest successes, grossing over $50 million worldwide since it was released in July, you may have missed another horror flick premiering just a few days before the A24 hit.
Cobweb is Lionsgate's fresh take on the horror genre, set not too far from Elm Street, and presented a gripping narrative centered around family secrets that inevitably surface. With a star-studded cast that includes Lizzy Caplan and Antony Starr, the film promises to provide viewers with an unsettling and thrilling experience.
This overlooked gem, directed by Samuel Bodin, tells the story of an eight-year-old boy, Peter, portrayed by Woody Norman, who begins to hear knocking sounds in the walls of his room.
His parents, Mark and Carol, played by Antony Starr and Lizzy Caplan, dismiss their son's concerns as fantasy. As the tapping continues and a voice emerges, Peter becomes increasingly suspicious of his parents' secrets.
By adopting the perspective of a young child and immersing the audience in his unsettling experiences, the film skillfully maintains tension. Like other horror films, it keeps us on edge at every turn, showing Peter dealing not only with eerie sounds and voices in his walls but also with bullying at school.
Starr and Caplan captivate as Peter's parents, exuding a sinister presence whenever they appear on screen, while Cleopatra Coleman shines as Miss Devine, Peter's teacher, providing a moral compass and light in the darkness.
By cleverly playing with clichés, making you think you know what's coming, and then taking you in unexpected directions, Bodin truly surprises the audience with multiple plot twists. And movie cinematographer Philip Lozano and composer Drum & Lace add to the eerie atmosphere that is reminiscent of the Insidious franchise.
One of the most compelling horror stories of the year has undoubtedly been delivered to horror movie fans. While the movie is full of disturbing imagery and jump scares, it's the characters that really make a mark on you. By the end of the movie, you'll definitely have been touched by the horrific events, both as a witness and as a participant.