Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
The residents of a rural mining town discover that an unfortunate chemical spill has caused hundreds of little spiders to mutate overnight to the size of SUVs. It's then up to mining engineer Chris McCormack and Sheriff Sam Parker to mobilize an eclectic group of townspeople, including the Sheriff's young son, Mike, her daughter, Ashley, and paranoid radio announcer Harlan, into battle against the bloodthirsty eight-legged beasts.
Eight Legged Freaks is a knowingly campy creature feature that wears its B-movie influences on its sleeve. The plot is formulaic — chemical spill, giant monsters, small-town heroes — offering little beyond the genre template. Acting is serviceable and occasionally charming, with David Arquette and Kari Wührer committing to the fun premise. Cinematography is competent for the era, with decent practical and CGI creature work that holds up as middle-of-the-road. Novelty is low: despite its self-aware humor, the film treads very well-worn giant-spider territory without a sufficiently distinctive voice to stand apart. The ending resolves predictably with minimal surprise or emotional payoff, wrapping things up in routine fashion.