‘Cobweb’ Movie Review [Fantastic Fest 2023]: A Layered, Lingering Exploration Of A Creator’s Pursuit Of Greatness
Photo from Fantastic Fest
From Jeff Nelson
Samuel Bodin’s Cobweb isn’t the only genre offering under the arachnoid title this year. Jee-woon Kim’s Cobweb takes on a meta narrative that speaks to a creator’s vision under the watchful eye of political influences, blending aspects of comedy, drama, and horror. The final product is intriguing, albeit overstuffed and haphazardly paced.
Set in the 1970s, Director Kim (Song Kang-ho) yearns to win respect and admiration back from critics and moviegoers after failing to maintain the status he achieved with his debut. Genius unexpectedly strikes, filling him with the desire to reshoot the ending of his completed film. However, the motion picture censorship authorities, producers, and actors fail to grasp the meaning of his direction, quickly sending the production into utter chaos.
Cobweb blurs the line between fantasy and reality, positioning the celluloid in that sweet spot. We never learn much about Kim, as he exists to us solely as a creator with a chip on his shoulder. His dreams and imagination drive his artistic vision, which is constantly interrupted by personal struggles with actors and producers, not all of whom have confidence in his ability to create the supposed masterpiece that relies on these reshoots.
Criticisms weigh heavy on Kim, especially when they take aim at his involvement with his former mentor. He’s adamant that he actually wrote the script for the widely praised film that his mentor made, ultimately weighing on his conscious and his faith in himself. There’s a tremendous movie buried in there somewhere, but Kim only scratches the surface of it, never quite digging deep enough.
Kim puts a mystery at the center of Cobweb that doesn’t get the opportunity to flourish. It’s frequently buried under the whirlwind of subplots and tones. It isn’t ever quite sure whether it wants to be a serious dramatic thriller or a piece of satire on filmmaking, but there are small moments when each shines, even though they occasionally step on the other’s toes. There’s an overdramatic genre story unfolding both in front of and behind the camera, although the story found in the latter is far more compelling.
Song Kang-ho gives a charismatic leading performance among a generally strong ensemble cast. They sell the humor quite well, handling the film’s light characterizations the best they can. Cobweb’s pacing alternates between quick plot beats and gaps of sitting around the set, making it difficult to justify the film’s over two-hour runtime.
Cobweb is a patchy, yet amusing visit to a chaotic film set and the chase to achieve artistic greatness. There’s a lot going on here and it doesn’t all work, but the performances and fun moments scattered throughout make for an entertaining, albeit overlong experience.
Rating: 3/5
Cobweb played at Fantastic Fest 2023 on September 23rd, 2023.
