'Spiderhead' Netflix: Reactions Are in for Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller's Thriller

By Michael Hein

Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller co-star in a new sci-fi thriller premiering on Netflix next week, and the early reviews look good. Hemsworth and Teller both star in major blockbuster movies this summer, but some critics think this Netflix original film might represent the best performance from one or both of them this year. Scroll on for a look at the reviews before Spiderhead premieres on Friday, June 17.

Hemsworth and Teller share top billing with stars Jurnee Smollett, Tess Haubrich, BeBe Bettencourt, Mark Paguio, Sam Delich, Joey Vieira, Daniel Reader, Ron Smyck, Stephen Tongun, Charles Parnell and Nathan Jones in Spiderhead. The movie was co-written by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick and was directed by Joseph Kosinksi. It is set in a near-future world where some prison inmates are given the opportunity to reduce their sentences by volunteering for pharmaceutical experiments. Hemsworth's character, Steve Abnesti, oversees trials on characters played by Teller, Smollet and others.

Spiderhead is an adaptation of the short story "Escape from Spiderhead" by George Saunders, which is published in his book Tenth of December. The movie has not had much promotion, but Netflix may be counting on a bump in interest thanks to Teller's role in Top Gun: Maverick and Hemsworth's role in Thor: Love and Thunder. Kosinski is the director of Maverick as well.

While those movies are playing only in theaters, Spiderhead will be available on your home TV, computer or phone in less than a week. Here's a look at what critics are saying about this unexpected project.

Another Hit

With Top Gun: Maverick sweeping the box office right now, fans remarked that both Teller and Kosinski have had some rapid-fire success here.

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Under-Advertised

Many movie buffs complained about Netflix's advertising strategy when it came to this project, and others like it. They felt like they should have caught wind about a movie like this sooner considering all the lauded names attached.

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Format

Many of the biggest titles these days are adaptations, but some viewers felt like Spiderhead was spread a bit thin since it draws on a short story, not a novel. Some also compared it to Saunders' original in terms of execution and substance.

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Hemsworth

Critics applauded Hemsworth for a performance that many felt was outside of his normal wheelhouse – action interspersed with snarky dialogue.

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Cast

For many fans, the cast was enough to sell them on this movie. Some highlighted a particular favorite but it was clear that Teller, Smollett and Hemsworth would all be drawing in viewers on the strength of their individual popularity alone.

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Theatrical

Some critics who saw the movie early saw it in theatrical screenings organized by Netflix. Fans wondered whether it would have the same impact at home, and some wanted the option to watch it on the big screen.

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So-So

Finally, there were those who felt that the response from critics was overblown and that the movie was not as great as it was being hyped up to be. They predicted disappointment when fans could finally see it for themselves. Spiderhead premieres on Friday, June 17 on Netflix.

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