- Director : Kiah Roache-Turner
- Actors : Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Jermaine Fowler, Penelope Mitchell
- Language : English (Stereo), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Studio : Well Go Usa
- MPAA rating : R (Restricted)
- Country of Origin : Australia
- Number of discs : 1
- Media Format : Subtitled, DVD, NTSC
- Run time : 1 hour and 32 minutes
- Release date : July 30, 2024
Creature
features have always been among my favorite horror sub-genres, because of the
potential for fun thrills and a variety of unique monsters. While the use of
large spiders from space is not a unique concept, the larger problem with Sting
is the lack of fun. Too much of the narrative is bogged down by unpleasant
family drama, altering the tone of film that could have been much more enjoyable
with a different approach. As far as horror movies with spiders, I would choose
Arachnophobia (1990) over this. And as for alien invasion films set in
an apartment building, Attack the Block (2011) understood how to make
the most out of the concept. Sting falls short, though it does contain
impressive creature effects from Weta Workshop.
When an alien
species resembling a spider land in a rundown apartment building in New York
City, an angsty pre-teen named Charlotte (Alyla Browne) decides to make it her
pet. The obnoxious character also ignores the fact that the spider grows
quickly while eating anything put in its path. Along with the insects and small
animals given to it, the spider alien is able to escape its enclosure, slowly
killing tenants and visiting exterminators. Charlotte’s reckless behavior is
excused away because she is moody about her absent father, choosing to mostly
take it out on her step-father, Ethan (Ryan Corr).
Despite being
set in New York, Sting was actually made in Australia, primarily to make
use of the Weta Workshop in creating the creature effects. And this might have
been the film’s best choice, because the design and execution of the spider is
easily the best part of the film. There are some fairly memorable and graphic
death scenes involving the spider, which would be much more enjoyable without
the storyline of a family that never seems to stop fighting. There are other
relationship dynamics in the apartment building, but they only weigh the film
down even more. If only Sting had remembered to be fun, it would be a lot easier
to recommend.
The Blu-ray
release of Sting comes with a behind-the-scenes featurette, mostly
focused on the special effects for obvious reasons. The only other extra is the
film’s theatrical trailer.
Entertainment Value:
7/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 6/10
Historical
Significance: 4/10
Special Features: 3/10
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