Spider 2002

Glenn Lovell, San Jose Mercury News: Working from Patrick McGrath's script and novel, Cronenberg delivers his most austere film to date. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: Spider is, in fact, a marvel, but it's also prickly, slow, withdrawn, and small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Read more

Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: Claustrophobic and profoundly creepy, Spider isn't a pleasant viewing experience, and that's the point. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: A restrained and elegant piece of work from a director whose name is more readily associated with goo and gore. Read more

Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune: Cold as the film may seem, Cronenberg's nightmare talent has rarely been at such a high, terrifying boil. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: As harrowing a portrait of one man's tormented isolation as the commercial cinema has produced. Read more

Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A bleakly brilliant exploration of mental illness. Read more

Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times: Cronenberg has pulled off a richly visual feat of the imagination that ranks among his finest achievements. Read more

Eric Harrison, Houston Chronicle: This is one of the director's most accomplished films. Read more

Paul Clinton (CNN.com), CNN.com: A bleak and unsparing look at the mind of a schizophrenic man, played brilliantly by Ralph Fiennes. Read more

Vic Vogler, Denver Post: A dark, brilliant journey into memory and schizophrenia whose peeled-back layers reveal an unexpected heroism. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: An artful, carefully regulated explosion of craft led by Miranda Richardson and that prince of prickly intensity, Ralph Fiennes. Read more

Rick Groen, Globe and Mail: Austere yet remarkable film. Read more

Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News: It's a pleasure to watch such an understated treatment of potentially sensational subject matter. Read more

Ella Taylor, L.A. Weekly: I can't think of a recent movie that treats the schizoid mind with such delicate sympathy or, bravely, such saving wit. Read more

Newsday: Read more

Peter Rainer, New York Magazine/Vulture: After a while, it becomes clear that Cronenberg's game plan is unchanging; scene after shadowy scene proceeds in the same lockstep. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: What is the point of a gothic Edward Gorey riddle if it's got all of the depression and none of the drollery? Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Filmmakers always gamble with an audience's sympathy when they resort to narrative trickery. I would argue that Mr. Cronenberg and Mr. McGrath have lost their gamble, though I can't help honoring their high-minded intentions. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The details of the film and of the performances are meticulously realized; there is a reward in seeing artists working so well. But the story has no entry or exit, and is cold, sad and hopeless. Afterward, I feel more admiration than gratitude. Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Spider, David Cronenberg's latest, shows the director once again at the top of his form. Read more

David Edelstein, Slate: What goes wrong with Spider is pretty basic: The audience has no idea why it was made. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Geoff Pevere, Toronto Star: A movie that shows you what it might be like to lose your mind. Read more

Peter Howell, Toronto Star: Something very close to a masterstroke, as truthful and affecting a depiction of mental illness as ever put to film. Read more

Derek Adams, Time Out: Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: This is the kind of well-made movie you wish well but you don't particularly wish to see again. Read more

J. Hoberman, Village Voice: More poetic than clinical in its approach to schizophrenia, suffused with existential dread, this evocation of psychological torment is both sensationally grim and exquisitely realized. Read more