Spiderhead is a sci-fi film about a research facility where convicts are subjected to mood-altering drugs in the name of science. The film is now streaming on Netflix.
Steve Abnesti (Chris Hemsworth) owns Abnesti pharmaceuticals and his company creates drugs that alter the mood of its users with the push of a button. They are administered via vials placed in a device called a MobiPak at the base of an individual’s spine.
Even Steve had one of these because he wanted to have a taste of what the inmates were experiencing. He would always mention the phrase ‘Drip on’ and the inmates would reply with ‘Acknowledge’ to agree to be dosed.
Throughout the film, the audience is introduced to various drugs with different applications. Here’s a look at the different drugs and what they did.
G-46: Laffodil
This is the first drug on display in the film as it’s being tested on one of the inmates. He’s told a few jokes and beings laughing uncontrollably and he doesn’t stop even when he’s being told about his crimes and how long his sentence is.
At one point, Mark suggests selling it to comedy clubs but Steve tells him to think bigger. Steve and Jeff take a dose of Laffodil to deal with Heather’s death and that’s when Steve reveals that his father abandoned him as a child.
B-15: Verbaluce
This drug was used whenever Steve wanted his subjects to express themselves clearly. Once administered, the subjects would be imbibed with a vast vocabulary and the urge to speak their mind.
Another effect of Verbaluce was that the subject would often take things literally, like when Steve asks Heather to “put a sock in it” and she begins to take off her sock before Steve stops her.
N-40: Luvactin
Luvactin is the pseudo focus of Steve’s study during the film. It enhances the feelings of love within a person and only lets them see the beauty in what’s in front of them.
Steve uses it on Jeff and several other inmates many times to test whether the effects are long-lasting. He even uses it on himself recreationally.
I-16: Darkenfloxx
Steve asks Jeff to choose one of the people he experienced Luvactin with to be dosed with this drug, which is meant to be an agitator of sorts.
Jeff is apprehensive about the drug because he was part of the initial trials and felt terrible. When Heather gets overdosed on the drug after knocking her MobiPak loose, she ends up killing herself. Lizzie almost does the same before Jeff saves her in time.
I-27: Phobica
Steve first tests I-27 on Lizzie and then christens it with the name ‘Phobica’. It makes a person afraid of even the smallest things, which in the case of Lizzie was a stapler.
Steve tells Mark that they can make people afraid of things that are bad for them like smoking or gluten. Jeff uses it on Steve momentarily when he is interrogating him.
B-6: Obediex
The actual focus of Steve’s study, B-6 was his golden egg which is why he tried to so hard to get it right.
This drug was the real reason Steve kept asking Jeff to administer Darkenfloxx to the people he loved. He wanted a drug that would make people obey commands without a fault, even do the things they would never do in a million years.
It doesn’t work on Jeff when he’s asked to hurt Lizzie and it doesn’t work on Steve when he’s asked to sabotage himself. As one last order, Steve tells all the other inmates to stop Jeff and Lizzie from escaping but they still manage to get away.
Also Read: Spiderhead summary and ending explained