REALLY, there are many better movies by Cronenberg: naked lunch, dead ringers, history of violence are much more engaging, dramatic and FUNNY !
I really CAN NOT agree, as another writer puts it, that SPIDER is delivering genius. There was simply not enough material or depth to the story to create an engaging movie--the story by Patrick McGrath may be good for a quick read, but there is simply not enough character and plot development for a full-length movie. Also, do we need 8 different scenes of Mr. Fiennes scratching in his notebook, then hiding the notebook, then tearing it up at the end. OK, we get the point already--you're boring us!! Honestly, I think all but die-hard Cronenberg fans will find this film slow and boring. OK, some people count these qualities as virtues, but I submit that the film is not engaging because the story lacks depth. (The acting and direction are fine but can't make up for the lack of story. Also, one reviewer's comment that this is an exploration of the human condition doesn't ring true--most of the problems seem very specific to the main character and difficult for the audience to relate to, even if there is some basic similarity with all human problems, i.e. mother love/fixation/paranoia)
I really CAN NOT agree, as another writer puts it, that SPIDER is delivering genius. There was simply not enough material or depth to the story to create an engaging movie--the story by Patrick McGrath may be good for a quick read, but there is simply not enough character and plot development for a full-length movie. Also, do we need 8 different scenes of Mr. Fiennes scratching in his notebook, then hiding the notebook, then tearing it up at the end. OK, we get the point already--you're boring us!! Honestly, I think all but die-hard Cronenberg fans will find this film slow and boring. OK, some people count these qualities as virtues, but I submit that the film is not engaging because the story lacks depth. (The acting and direction are fine but can't make up for the lack of story. Also, one reviewer's comment that this is an exploration of the human condition doesn't ring true--most of the problems seem very specific to the main character and difficult for the audience to relate to, even if there is some basic similarity with all human problems, i.e. mother love/fixation/paranoia)