Chris Hemsworth is certainly having a wonderful summer. Ahead of the release of the guaranteed blockbuster Thor: Love and Thunder, the actor first appears on the small screen as the star of the new Netflix movie Spiderhead. The film debuted on the streamer on June 17, and Netflix subscribers were right there waiting, as Spiderhead quickly dethroned Adam Sandler's Hustle to become the No. 1 most-watched movie in the top 10 list.
Spiderhead also just so happens to star Miles Teller, who has recently been flying high at the box office with his role in the hit film Top Gun: Maverick. The film also stars Jurnee Smollett, Tess Haubrich, Bebe Bettencourt, and Nathan Jones. Deadpool writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick penned the script and Top Gun: Maverick helmer Joseph Kosinski directed the feature. You can check out the trailer and read the official synopsis from Netflix below.
"In a state-of-the-art penitentiary run by brilliant visionary Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth), inmates wear a surgically attached device that administers dosages of mind-altering drugs in exchange for commuted sentences. There are no bars, no cells, or orange jumpsuits. In Spiderhead, incarcerated volunteers are free to be themselves. Until they’re not. At times, they’re a better version. Need to lighten up? There’s a drug for that. At a loss for words? There’s a drug for that, too. But when two subjects, Jeff (Miles Teller) and Lizzy (Jurnee Smollett), form a connection, their path to redemption take a twistier turn, as Abnesti’s experiments start to push the limits of free will altogether."
Spiderhead Has Been Hit With Mixed Reviews
Viewership may be high, but not everyone is sure how to feel about Spiderhead. The film has been hit with some pretty mixed reviews, pulling in an underwhelming 44% rotten score at Rotten Tomatoes. The audience score fared even worse, landing at a 35% rotten rating. For what it's worth, our own Julian Roman enjoyed the film while noting that it didn't quite live up to its full potential.
"Hemsworth delights in playing against type as the villain," Roman said of Hemsworth's performance. "He chews up the screen with prancing and grinning machinations. Hemsworth embodies the cold intellect of cruelty for the greater good."
Roman added, "Joseph Kosinski adds a frivolous touch to exacerbate the bizarre circumstances. His choice of upbeat eighties pop classics helps to increase tension as the situation devolves. Spiderhead strikes an interesting tone for two-thirds of the runtime. My hopes for a clever climax were dashed. The sudden finale unfortunately falls prey to standard action tropes."
Even with mixed reviews, the release of Spiderhead drawing in so many viewers has to be seen as a win at Netflix. It's also good news for Hemsworth who brings in even more attention toward himself just ahead of the release of Thor: Love and Thunder, making Hemsworth the only Marvel Cinematic Universe actor to star in four solo superhero films. Spiderhead is now streaming on Netflix, while Thor: Love and Thunder hits theaters on July 8, 2022.