Cobweb 2023
Directed by
Samuel Bodin
Made by
Lionsgate
Plot Summary
Peter, an eight-year-old boy, lives with his emotionally distant and overbearing parents, Carol and Mark. Struggling with relentless bullying at school and lacking any friends or social interaction, he finds himself isolated. One fateful day, Peter chooses to stay in during recess, garnering some sympathy from his substitute teacher, Miss Devine. Despite his eagerness to go out trick-or-treating on Halloween Night, Peter’s parents firmly prohibit him, haunted by the unresolved disappearance of a young girl from years prior.
That same night, Peter is disturbed by a mysterious tapping noise emanating from within his bedroom walls. His parents vehemently dismiss his claims as mere figments of his imagination. However, Peter soon establishes communication with this enigmatic entity, whom he learns is named “Sarah.” Sarah insists she is trapped within the walls thanks to Peter’s parents, whom she brands as “evil,” leaving Peter increasingly troubled.
Concerned about his state of mind, Devine takes note after discovering one of Peter’s drawings depicting Sarah pleading for help from a dark room. Following a supposedly dismissive meeting with Peter’s parents, Carol scolds Peter for what she perceives as his delusions tainting their reputation. Meanwhile, Sarah continues to manipulate Peter into believing that his parents are truly malicious.
At school, Peter confronts a bully named Brian, who destroys his hard-earned pumpkin. Egged on by Sarah’s toxic guidance, Peter retaliates by pushing Brian down the stairs, resulting in a broken leg and subsequent expulsion. In a cruel twist, his parents respond by locking him in the basement, hiding him behind a refrigerator. In the suffocating darkness of the basement, Peter uncovers a pit concealed with a grate.
During a visit to check on Peter, Devine finds herself chased away and threatened by Mark, who bears an injury on his arm that he attributes to home renovations. Eventually freed from the basement, Peter reconnects with Sarah, who spins a fabric of lies, claiming to be his older sister, imprisoned by their parents who did not want her anymore. She instills a chilling belief in Peter that their parents are plotting to kill both her and him, insisting that the only way to save himself is to eliminate their parents. Driven by fear and deceit, Peter takes a horrifying action by slipping rat poison into their dinner soup. As his parents attempt to intervene, they succumb to the poison, with Carol’s final warning echoing in Peter’s ears: “Don’t let her out.”
With the sinister act complete, Peter uncovers another secretive door hidden behind the grandfather clock in his parents’ bedroom. Following Sarah’s emerging presence, he realizes she isn’t entirely human. In a shocking revelation, she exposes her manipulation, revealing her resentment towards Peter for living a normal life despite her confinement. Soon, Brian returns with his cousins, seeking vengeance against Peter, but they meet a tragic fate at Sarah’s hands. In a twist of fate, Devine arrives in response to Peter’s desperate call, and together they strive to imprison Sarah once more in the basement’s pit. Yet even as she is trapped, Sarah warns Peter that her escape is inevitable and that she will continuously haunt him.
Timeline
Peter's Isolation
Peter, an eight-year-old boy, faces relentless bullying at school and feels isolated from his peers. His emotionally distant parents, Carol and Mark, provide little comfort, resulting in a deep sense of loneliness.
Halloween Night Restrictions
Despite his eagerness to celebrate Halloween, Peter's parents forbid him from trick-or-treating, haunted by the unresolved disappearance of a girl from years past. This prohibition underscores Peter's isolation and longing for normal childhood experiences.
Mysterious Tapping
That night, Peter is disturbed by a strange tapping noise coming from within the walls of his bedroom. When he tries to express his fears to his parents, they dismiss it as mere imagination, exacerbating his feelings of abandonment.
Communication with Sarah
Peter discovers that the source of the tapping is an entity named Sarah, who claims to be trapped in the walls due to the actions of Peter's parents. As Peter communicates with Sarah, he becomes increasingly troubled and conflicted about his family's dynamics.
Drawing Disturbances
Concerned with Peter's mental state, Miss Devine notices troubling drawings that depict Sarah pleading for help. After a meeting with Peter's parents, Devine becomes more skeptical of their dismissive attitude towards Peter's claims.
Escalation of Bullying
Peter confronts a school bully named Brian, who destroys Peter's pumpkin. Under the manipulative influence of Sarah, Peter retaliates violently, pushing Brian down the stairs and injuring him severely, which leads to Peter's expulsion.
Punishment in the Basement
Following his expulsion, Peter's parents punish him by locking him in the basement, hiding him behind a refrigerator. In the darkness, Peter stumbles upon a concealed pit, which piques his curiosity and fear.
Devine's Encounter
During a visit, Miss Devine is threatened by Mark, who is injured. This encounter heightens the tension in the household and raises questions about the family's hidden secrets as she struggles to help Peter.
Sarah's Manipulation
Once freed from the basement, Peter reconnects with Sarah, who deceives him into believing that their parents want to harm them. She presents herself as Peter's older sister, intensifying Peter's fear and mistrust.
The Poisoning Incident
Under pressure from Sarah's manipulations, Peter slips rat poison into his parents' dinner soup. The chilling outcome results in his parents' deaths, leaving Peter haunted by Carol's last warning to not let Sarah out.
Secret Door Discovery
After the tragic event, Peter uncovers a secret door behind the grandfather clock in his parents' bedroom, leading him deeper into the mystery surrounding Sarah. This discovery signals a turning point in the film.
Unmasking Sarah's True Nature
Peter learns that Sarah is not entirely human and reveals her resentment towards him for leading a normal life while she was imprisoned. This revelation leads to a shocking twist in their relationship.
Brian's Revenge
Brian returns with cousins seeking revenge on Peter. However, they encounter a fatal twist when Sarah intervenes, demonstrating her malevolent power and further complicating Peter’s fragile reality.
Miss Devine's Final Attempt
Miss Devine receives Peter's desperate call for help and arrives just in time to confront Sarah. Together, they attempt to imprison Sarah once more, but her ominous warning lingers, suggesting that she won't be contained forever.
The Endless Haunting
Even as Sarah is trapped, she ominously warns Peter of her inevitable escape and promises to haunt him. This final chilling promise sets the stage for Peter’s ongoing conflict and the psychological terror he faces.
Characters
Peter
Peter is an eight-year-old boy grappling with deep emotional turmoil and isolation due to bullying at school and his overbearing parents. His naïve nature makes him vulnerable to Sarah's manipulation, leading him down a dark path. The struggles he faces mirror the complex challenges of childhood in a harsh environment.
Carol
Carol is Peter's emotionally distant mother, who views his fears and sadness as weaknesses. Her overprotectiveness and lack of understanding contribute significantly to Peter's isolation and subsequent mental decline. Carol embodies the theme of parental neglect amid a child's cry for help.
Mark
Mark is Peter's father, characterized by his intimidating presence and dismissive attitude toward Peter's fears. His sternness reinforces Peter's feeling of isolation, and he is perceived as a potential threat by Peter and Sarah alike. Mark represents parental authority and its misapplication.
Miss Devine
Miss Devine is Peter's substitute teacher, who exhibits compassion and concern for his well-being. She becomes a rare supportive figure in Peter's life, noticing his distress and drawing attention to his plight. Her genuine care stands in stark contrast to the oppressive environment he faces at home.
Sarah
Sarah is the enigmatic entity that manipulates Peter throughout the film, posing as a trapped sister. Her malevolence is masked by a facade of familial love, leading Peter to make grave mistakes fueled by fear and deceit. Sarah embodies the theme of the dangers lurking beneath the surface of innocence.
Brian
Brian is the bully at Peter's school, whose torment contributes to Peter's isolation and anger. His actions push Peter further down the path of despair, leading to retaliatory violence. Brian represents the external pressures faced by children, reflecting the disappointing reality of childhood social interactions.
Setting
Time period
Halloween Night
The events unfold on Halloween Night, a time typically associated with fun and festivities. However, for Peter, it becomes a night of terror and manipulation, contrasting the holiday's usual ambiance with horror. The atmosphere is charged with tension as Peter faces unseen threats lurking in the shadows.
Location
Peter's home, School, Basement
Peter's home is a place of emotional distance and turmoil, where he faces the oppressive rule of his parents. The school represents the outside world where he is bullied and isolated, further intensifying his lonely existence. The basement serves as a dark, suffocating space of confinement and fear, hiding secrets that amplify Peter's dread as he uncovers the truth.
Themes
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Fear
Fear manifests as Peter's primary struggle, stemming from both his home life and supernatural elements. His isolation breeds anxiety, which is exacerbated by Sarah's influence. The theme explores how fear can lead to misguided actions and irrevocable consequences.
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Manipulation
Manipulation plays a crucial role in Peter's descent into darkness. Sarah's deceitful nature entraps him in a web of lies and fear, causing him to turn against his own parents. The theme highlights the dangers of external influences and the fragility of a child's psyche.
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Childhood Innocence
The film juxtaposes Peter's childhood innocence against the horrifying reality he faces at home and from Sarah. His desire for love and acceptance becomes warped by fear, leading to tragic decisions. This theme illustrates how innocence can be corrupted by trauma and manipulation.
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