The way I felt while watching "Spider" was similar to my first viewing of David Lynch's "Eraserhead"--I was prepared to slam it as a lot of overpraised pretension, but at a certain point there was a turnover and it began to impress and challenge. Needless to say, "Eraserhead" is one of my favorite films, and "Spider" has that potential, as well. It should be said that the film is a drastic departure from director David Cronenberg's usual themes--no exploding heads, vaginal slits in chests, or insect-like gynecological instruments to be found--and instead goes for a psychological depth that might turn off fans of his earlier efforts. Those who give "Spider" a chance, though, will be rewarded with a subtly restrained, mind-bending tale of Dennis 'Spider' Cleg (Ralph Fiennes), confined to a halfway house where he attempts to piece together a crime that sent him to the asylum 20 years before. The narrative flashes from Spider's childhood (in which he is seen as a witness to his own memories) to the present, and Cronenberg fuses the puzzle pieces of this mystery together with a master hand.
7/10
7/10