Eight Legged Freaks

Review by Clint Morris

You would have thought Eight Legged Freaks would have happened a long time ago, considering Spider-themed Arachnophobia was a major hit back in 1990.

Audiences really took to that film - giving the studio a nice fat cheque at the end of the summer. Some twelve years later, and screenwriters Jesse Alexander and Ellory Elkayem want to test the waters to see if that audience is still out there.

A campy, special effects-filled romp, Eight Legged Freaks, centres on a small-town populace, who suddenly find they're fighting off larger than life spiders.

But Baygon's going to prove ineffective in this situation, since these arachnids are larger than a Golf Buggy and overflowing with tainted toxic waste. Who's going to save the day from instant death and destruction? David Arquette.

Arquette - best known for his role in the Scream movies - plays Chris McCormack, a former local boy, returning to the town of Prosperity, Arizona, after a ten-year absence.

Upon discovering the town's new infestation, he joins with an old 'crush', Sheriff Sam Parker (Kari Wuhrer), her son, bug-expert Mike (Scott Terra), daughter Ashley (Scarlett Johansson) and a dozen or so shot-gun wielding locals to put a stop to the 'freaks' destroying their town.

Eight Legged Freaks is middling science fiction farce. While the effects look suitably B grade, the film's enjoyment factor takes a deadly dive about half way through.

Unlike similar movies like Arachnophobia or Tremors, the film struggles to hold your attention for it's full duration, ultimately turning into a very ho-hum grab and squash affair. I suppose we have to be thankful that a steadier star wasn't wasted on it...

2.5 out of 5

Eight Legged Freaks
Australian release: Thursday September 26
Cast: David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scott Terra, Scarlett Johansson, Doug E. Doug, Rick Overton, Leon Rippy.
Director: Ellory Elkayem.
Website: Click here

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