‘Cobweb’ (2024) Review – A Crafty And Meta Look At Filmmaking In ’70s Korea

Life imitates art, and art imitates life. This is the central conflict of the South Korean film Cobweb by director Kim Jee-woon. The film is set in the ’70s and tells the story of a director as he remakes his movie. This film is one part satire and one part drama. It gives a first-hand look at filmmaking in the ’70s while following the passion of a director attempting to create his magnum opus. Intercut with a movie-within-a-movie, the film is a meta-project. It is a zany riverboat ride into the mind of a filmmaker. Cobweb takes playful aim at the auteur theory of filmmakers. Moreover, in the end, it delivers a passionate and hilarious look at a movie about movies.

The film opens with a chilling black-and-white scene dripped with macabre and suspense. However, it soon becomes clear that this clever opening is the scene from the movie-within-the-movie “Cobweb” and a subtle callback to Jee-woon’s horror filmography. The meta references are apparent from the start and continue throughout the film. As the film transitions to color, the audience meets Director Kim (Song Kang-ho), who is on the set of his movie. After the film wraps, vivid dreams inspire Kim to rewrite his ending. Despite the film being in the can, Kim wants to tweak the ending and, in his words, make the film “a masterpiece.”

Consequently, Kim is the intersecting point for all the film’s drama and comedy. A zany individual, he sees himself as a director wanting to make it back into the good graces of critics and audiences. He has something to prove and believes this film will cement his legacy. Now, he pushes the envelope on his latest film – Censors Be Dammed.

Kang-ho is a composite of many directors, but more importantly, he is a sounding board for the misunderstood artist. His energy is kinetic, and he fires off clever one-liners like this gem, “criticism is an act of revenge by those who cannot make art.” This self-referential humor is rampant in Cobweb and adds to the enjoyment as a commentary on the film industry.

In addition to the director’s quest to reshoot the ending, a parallel storyline involves South Korean censors. The authorities in the ’70s were relentless at bowdlerizing films. Their presence forces the entire production of Cobweb to avoid detection and inspection. Again, these overly dramatic situations add to the running commentary on the fight for artistic expression and creativity.

In addition to Kang-ho, the film boasts terrific supporting players, each representing different aspects of the industry. There are actors like Han Yu-rim (Krystal Jung), a rising star, tabloid playboy Kang Ho-se (Oh Jung-se), and even the people behind the camera. Chairwoman Baek (Jang Young-nam) and Shin Mi-do (Jeon Yeo-been) are hilarious as the film’s producers and financiers. Both work to outwit the censor board while trying to keep the actors in line, even as they all struggle to understand the director’s vision.

From the start, using black and white and color is a beautiful trick to distinguish between the plot of the movie-within-the-movie “Cobweb” and the plot of the movie Cobweb. The intercutting helps straddle the satirical bent the film likes to take as Kim reconfigures his wannabe masterpiece; scenes change while putting out fires, literally and figuratively. 

For as hilarious as the ride is, the film is bloated. Consequently, the two-hour runtime is uneven, given the conflation of the storyline between the movie Cobweb and the movie-within-a-movie, “Cobweb”. Still, the top-heavy nature is not enough to topple this film. It is ridiculous at points but also intelligently intricate. The pains and joys of filmmaking are on full display in Cobweb. Ultimately, it is that point that makes the film a rich reel.

Cobweb will debut in select theaters and on Digital platforms on February 9, 2024, courtesy of Samuel Goldwyn Films. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_ZHT9HbO9I]