eric262003 When David Cronenberg directs a film, he gives you the assumption like you know him only to to find out at the last minute that he caught you off guard. Here in "Spider", he perfectly created a thriller with so many twists it would make Alfred Hitchcock green with envy. It truly is a film that you could easily get invested into and keeps you glued to seat in its entire duration.In the opening scene, we see passengers getting off the train who looks like they know where they want to accomplish whatever is on their busy agendas. These civilians would rather be anywhere than loitering around a train station. We watch these individuals progressively pour out of the train all the way up to the very last person as he shyly and slowly get off the train. Here we are introduced, to a mentally disturbed gentleman named Dennis Cleg (Ralph Fiennes) whom everyone refers to as "Spider".While everyone's rushing off, Spider takes his time, collecting his items he clutches dearly to him which includes a cylindrical candy tin with possessions inside wrapped up into a sock stuffed in his trousers and carries on after everyone's gone.Along the way, Spider picks up other assorted items along the way as he walks in the rain as he enters into a halfway house for the special needs who could walk in and out whenever they feel pleased. The patients are under the supervision of the well-meaning Mrs. Wilkinson (Lynn Redgrave) even though the residents think she's a cruel tyrant. The resident is not far from where Spider grew up and the horrid memories from his past continues to haunt him.Spider reminisces the time he was an introverted little boy (Bradley Hall) living with his sweet mother (Miranda Richardson) and his always inebriated, philandering father (Gabriel Byrne). His father's favourite hangout is at the Dog and Beggar where he's friendly towards a vulgar blonde hussy named Yvonne who seems attracted to him.If I give too much away I'm spoiling it all for you. What I will tell you is that the manifestations in his mind are not entirely real. Back to the present, Spider, hidden in his room, often keeps a plethora of notes that are written indecipherable that only he could comprehend. He often smell gas and is very protective about his domains from any incoming intruders. Fiennes truly shines in his performance combining the quirks and tics we get a better understanding of where he's coming from. Richardson is memorable in her performance as his mother and has great scenes.The acting may be mesmerizing, the life of the party is to director David Cronenberg. He's done several great classics like "Dead Ringers", but this film he has truly outdid himself. But he didn't come to the party alone. His usual alums joined in including his sister, costume designer Denise Cronenberg, cinematographer Peter Suschitzky and composer Howard Shore. The film's pastiche has a nostalgic vibe similar to the silent film era. The atmosphere is just pure gold. From the opening credits to the closing scenes every shot is done in detail.Spider is the character that stands alone from everyone and his at times incoherent mutterings brings this character to life. This compliments quite well to the settings of a darker side of London that has not aged one bit."Spider" is a mystery film that isn't really about solving crime scenes, but about special case trying to piece together images of his past in the wrong direction. Spider's problem solving is executed in a non-linear fashion but in a rather piece-by-piece pattern almost like solving the complex puzzle or the web of strings he has stretched that he performed in his youth and adulthood. But through it all we're never tired of following this sad soul in his journey as he's searching for the truth.

Kirpianuscus powerful. convincing. uncomfortable. or only a Cronenberg. admirable performances. and the wise science to use the plot possibilities in the right directions. a film about illness. or about illusion. or the need to escape from yourself. not original but perfect made. and this did it the perfect choice for the admirers of genre or director. short, one of films who remains in memory as the precise portrait of a state. who could be defined in many ways. but this is the source of fascination. a murder. and the looking for truth. different clues. and the deep solitude. and nothing more. that is all.

Leofwine_draca I'm normally a fan of David Cronenberg, from his early body horror stuff to his more recent thrillers like A HISTORY OF VIOLENCE, but SPIDER takes the biscuit. It's a plot less psychological drama featuring a gurning Ralph Fiennes doing his usual round of overacting in the role of a mentally handicapped guy haunted by events from his past. It's also one of the dullest movies I've watched.I don't mind a lack of incident in a narrative, but I ask for it to be replaced by other stuff: drama, mood, atmosphere, tension. None of that is present here. Instead this is one big slow-paced character/mystery/drama along the lines of THE MECHANIC, but nowhere near as good. The entire movie gradually unravels the mystery which is finally revealed at the climax, and it's so defunct and underwhelming that you end up feeling angry at having wasted your time sitting through it.It's a pity, because we all know what a great director Cronenberg is given the right material, and there are some decent actors in support here including Miranda Richardson, John Neville and Gabriel Byrne, so it's a shame they have so little to work with. SPIDER is a boring little movie that smacks of pretension.

Lantzet * A stunning psychological thriller, with very unexpected turns, like in true thriller. However, the film avoids the horror trap, where the shocking scenes are the film's objective in itself. There are no such scenes in this film. * Though a thriller, yet not intended to be only that. Instead, it is an almost clinical, cold description of a schizophrenic. One almost feels what it is like to be a schizophrenic. This was so expressive that I had dreams the night after I saw the film, which I seldom have. * The film shows a deep human tragedy of the main character. However, it does not fall into the trap: "that poor mentally-disturbed human and that inhuman society which treats him as ... mentally-disturbed". * Summing up: - A brilliant thriller with a psychological depth, or rather a drama in a thriller setting. - But neither masterpiece of thriller nor masterpiece of drama. - With superb acting (R. Fiennes - main character) and direction (D. Cronenberg). - Leaves a deep, long-lasting impression and many questions to think about. - I could watch this film once more after some time.