Arachnid (2001)
A viral outbreak on a remote South Pacific island lures a secret expedition to investigate. The natives there are dying from a lethal cocktail of neurotoxins and the most likely cause is a venomous spider bite. The suspect – a previously unknown species of arachnid.
Now, a terrifying predator with a voracious appetite and a killer instinct is hunting ex-Navy pilot Lauren Mercer and her team of soldiers and scientists. To make matters worse, the thing is multiplying at a ferocious rate. And when Mercer’s team finds the wreckage of a crashed spaceship, it becomes clear that the extraterrestrial arachnid is more than just a new species of spider.
From Brian Yuzna, the producer of horror fan favorite Re-Animator and Jack Shoulder, director of sci-fi classic, The Hidden comes Arachnid, a movie for anyone who’s ever been scared of spiders! With eye-popping special effects from the team behind Species and The Abyss.
Starring: Chris Potter, Alex Reid, José Sancho, Neus Asensi, Ravil Isyanov
Directed by: Jack Sholder
Runtime: 92 minutes
Studio: Mosaic
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Review: Arachnid
It seems that most horror films I watch of late have giant reptiles or insects on a remote island and Arachnid is no exception. At the outset we witness a soldier being attacked in a forest on said “remote island” before the scene moves on a year. Mercer (Alex Reid), the sister of the man who is killed at the start, is a pilot that takes a small group, led by Valentine (Chris Potter), to the island to do some investigating after a man dies in Guam from some mysterious insect bites. Amongst the group is Henry (Ravil Isyanov), an arachnologist, who is soon in his element when they uncover a giant spider that is terrorising everyone on the island leaving few if any survivors.
Of course our group end up stranded on the island and are soon being picked off one by one by the hungry spider. Inevitably, Henry is keen to learn more about the giant arachnid and gets himself into all sorts of scrapes, while Mercer and Valentine, initially at loggerheads, soon find common ground and almost romance were it not for the eight-legged menace that wants them on its menu. Being stuck together by a spider web is just one of may embarrassing moments you’ll have to contend with. The question is why is a giant spider running around on the island and can the group escape back to civilization or will they be left to perish in a spiderweb?
Arachnid is the usual giant monster horror that follows a similar storyline to others of this type. The spider isn’t hugely impressive when it makes its first appearance and the feeling doesn’t change when it keeps coming back to either eat or poison the hapless survivors. The cast have forgotten their acting lessons in this one as well, I’m afraid, not atrocious but hardly awe-inspiring either. By the end it’s a simple case of been here before on many occasions and the journey doesn’t feel any different.
Arachnid is another poor attempt at a modern B-movie. While the oldies have a distinct charm I’m just finding their modern counterparts to be so badly acted, filled with awful effects, terrible scripts and monotonous storylines. It is possible to make a monster movie good, it’s been done countless times before, but the likes of Arachnid are films that are missing the many key ingredients. Some may get some laughs from this but within a few months you’ll have forgotten all about it.
Verdict: 1/5
(Film source: reviewer’s own copy)
About the Author:
I was born in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England and have always been a bookworm and enjoyed creative writing at school. In 1999 I created the Elencheran Chronicles and have been writing ever since. My first novel, Fezariu's Epiphany, was published in May 2011. When not writing I'm a lover of films, games, books and blogging. I now live in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, with my wife, Donna, and our six cats - Kain, Razz, Buggles, Charlie, Bilbo and Frodo.
David M. Brown – who has written 755 posts on Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dave.
