“Spiderhead” (2022) is a science fiction film directed by Joseph Kosinski, based on the dystopian short story “Escape from Spiderhead” by George Saunders. The film is set in a state-of-the-art penitentiary managed by Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth), where inmates have the option to volunteer as medical subjects in exchange for reduced sentences. The prisoners are subjected to experiments involving emotion-altering drugs, which are administered through surgically attached devices.
The protagonist, Jeff (Miles Teller), is one of these inmates, and throughout the film, he grapples with his own past and the moral implications of the experiments. Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett) is another prisoner who becomes close to Jeff as they both undergo the trials orchestrated by Abnesti.
As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Abnesti’s experiments are more sinister than they appear. He manipulates the inmates’ emotions to extreme levels, testing the limits of their free will and humanity. Significant events include the exploration of the effects of different drugs on the inmates, such as one that induces extreme love or another that causes intense fear.
In the climax of the film, Jeff discovers the true nature of the experiments and Abnesti’s lack of ethical boundaries. He learns that he is being used as a pawn in a scheme to gain approval for the drugs’ use on the general population. Faced with this knowledge, Jeff decides to take action against Abnesti.
The film ends with a dramatic confrontation between Jeff and Abnesti. Jeff, having gained control over his own drug dosing device, turns the tables on Abnesti by forcing him to experience the effects of his own drugs. This leads to a chaotic sequence that results in the death of Abnesti. Jeff and Lizzy manage to escape the facility, and the film concludes with them driving away from Spiderhead, leaving the future of the inmates and the facility uncertain.
“Spiderhead” explores themes of control, free will, and redemption, as the characters navigate the ethical dilemmas presented by Abnesti’s experiments. The film is available for streaming on Netflix.