Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Spider Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman January 24, 2023

Spider is a film that commands attention and respect for its powerful visual simplicity and its complex inner workings. The film, from Director David Cronenberg, the filmmaker best known for his "body horror" films (Videodrome, The Fly), here crafts an expertly conceived, smartly directed, and superbly acted masterpiece concerning the horrors of a brain beaten down and a soul torn apart by past trauma manifest in an inability to function within society. The film follows the lead character's present and past which merge in revealing yet tragic ways. This is one of the finest psychological study films of the past few decades and one of Cronenberg's best, even if it's not exactly in the same vein as some of his most popular works.

Ralph Fiennes is Dennis "Spider" Cleg, a man who suffers from extensive schizophrenia that, the film reveals, is a product of a troubled past. When Spider checks into a halfway house for the mentally disturbed, operated by Mrs. Wilkinson (Lynn Redgrave), he begins to recall the traumas of childhood, seen through his own eyes (a young Spider is portrayed by Bradley Hall), involving his father (Gabriel Byrne) and his father's mistress (Miranda Richardson).

The plot is superficially simple, but Cronenberg and Writer Patrick McGrath masterfully present it with uncanny depth and surreal exploration, making sense of the tangled, disrupted mind in visually simple yet stylish, emotionally challenged yet clear, and complexly woven yet carefully choreographed, narrative depth and excellence. This is a thoroughly engaging film presented at a mesmerizing cadence. The film thrives on its superficial photographical simplicity and the depth of its mumbling, practically nonspeaking lead character. Cronenberg expertly assembles the film in a way that both reveals and veils the story, that gets inside the head of a disturbed man in a way that is both unnerving and inaccessible yet also intimate and relatable. It’s a tour de force of emotional depth and depravity and the darkest realities of the human condition. The film internalizes itself into Spider’s mind, yet builds a story well outside the confines of it. It entangles narrative threads yet makes something beautiful out of them all made possible through the combination of Cronenberg’s superb work behind the camera and Fiennes’ mastery of the camera on it, the latter delivering what is arguably the most difficult, yet most rewarding and most intense, work of his career.

This is absolutely a film that defines the cinema medium as art, penetrating into the human soul at its most broken and bewildered, speaking to any number of issues but perhaps most loudly to however the audience chooses to interpret it both superficially and within their own mental, emotional, and worldview prisms. That’s the mark of great art. Cronenberg digs deep, as does Fiennes, but only deep enough to allow entry. It’s up to the audience to explore further, and perhaps even at their own peril, but also to great reward in enjoying cinema approaching its best.

Spider Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Sony delivers Spider to Blu-ray for the first time with a quality 1080p image. The picture is not significantly grainy. Rather, it is fairly clean but does not show any signs of unwarted scrubbing. Instead, the picture maintains a healthy sharpness and clarity. The picture is revealing in most every shot, capturing wear and detail inside homes and pubs, complex clothing and fabric elements, and skin details with high end definition. The level of overall excellence is certainly evident throughout, and one need only compare to the supplements and trailer to get a sense of how strong this image is compared to dated lower definition sources. The elements are in fine shape, with only the odd speckle on display. Colors are fine. The film is not meant to be a robust expression of color pop and excellence. The palette is a little drab and depressed by nature, but in those time of opportunity for vivid pop, such as when natural greenery is visible in full sunlight, there's no mistaking the image's ability to pop colors out of the screen. Black level depth is solid and skin tones are satisfying as well. This is a fine image from Sony, and if there is ever a second volume of the Sony Pictures Classics 4K boxed set, hopefully Spider will make the cut.

Spider Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Spider's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delivers a high-quality listen. The track presents its soundscapes with rich detail and clarity and plenty of immersive depth and definition. Gentle falling rain in the opening minutes presents with nice spacing and surround detail, establishing a tone that will hold for the duration. Indeed, surround activity is commonplace, but only as a necessary support to various shots and scenes. For example, industrial sounds in the distance at the 19-minute mark underscore mood; such occurrences are almost a haunting audible subtext lingering throughout the film. The track also offers quality immersion into bustling pub din at scattered timestamps throughout the film. There are a few intense high yield surround discrete effects, such as right after the 59-minute mark. Dialogue is almost secondary, considering, especially, that Spider rarely elevates above mumbles or speaks in audibly clear words (he does from time to time). Dialogue from others is suitably clear and center positioned, as well as enjoying faultless prioritization.

Spider Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of Spider includes a commentary, a trailer, and a few featurettes. No DVD or digital copies are included with purchase. This release does not ship with a slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Director David Cronenberg discusses the film with a well versed though softly spoken and agreeable cadence.
• In the Beginning: How Spider Came to Be (1080i, 4x3, 8:10): Director David Cronenberg discusses his initial attachment to the script, casting, the challenges of crafting an independent film despite a top-tier cast, and much more.
• Weaving the Web: The Making of Spider (1080i, 4x3, 9:10): Cronenberg, in addition to additional cast and crew, deliver some insight into various scenes, be those insights technical or narrative in nature and often how the two, in this film, go hand-in-hand. Cast and crew also talk up Cronenberg's work.
• Caught in Spider's Web: The Cast (1080i, 4x3, 12:24): As the title implies, this piece explores actors and performances as they shape the characters and the stories. The piece is particularly engaging as it explores not just performance overviews, but performance nuance.
• Theatrical Trailer (1080p, 2:13).

Spider Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Spider is a superlative film that demonstrates mastery of the medium in every way. The Blu-ray finally arrives on the marketplace with a fine 1080p transfer, a quality lossless 5.1 soundtrack, and a satisfying array of bonus content. Highly recommended.