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Movies / On DVD / Eight Legged Freaks
Eight Legged Freaks

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Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

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Reviews Counted:141

Fresh:67

Rotten:74

Average Rating:5.5/10

Consensus: This homage to the B-movies of the '50s has a promising first half, but runs out of ideas in the second.

Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins

Genre: Comedies

Synopsis: New Zealand-born Ellory Elkayem's EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS is a ridiculously irreverent romp that pays homage to American b-movies of the 1950s. Set in the nearly bankrupt mining town of Prosperity,... New Zealand-born Ellory Elkayem's EIGHT LEGGED FREAKS is a ridiculously irreverent romp that pays homage to American b-movies of the 1950s. Set in the nearly bankrupt mining town of Prosperity, Arizona, the film opens with the timely return of Chris McCormack (David Arquette). On the outskirts of town, a spider-loving eccentric discovers that water from a nearby river has a steroid-like effect on his tiny creatures. Unfortunately, that's because it has been contaminated by a toxic substance. It isn't long before the now-monstrous spiders are terrorizing Prosperity's townspeople. Taking refuge in the Prosperity Mall, Chris and his fellow cohorts--the beautiful Sheriff Sam Parker (Kari Wuhrer), her kids Mike (Scott Terra) and Ashley (Scarlett Johansson), Deputy Pete (Rick Overton), and paranoid radio DJ Harlan (Doug E. Doug)--search for a way to destroy the gigantic monsters before they are destroyed. Handpicked by producers Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, writer-director Elkayem rises to the challenge. He successfully retains the lighthearted, low-budget feel of similar-toned 1950s classics (TARANTULA, THEM!) and merges it with a modern, big-budget aesthetic, to create an outrageously fresh contribution to the "mutant bug" genre. [More]

Starring: David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scarlett Johansson, Scott Terra

Starring: David Arquette, Kari Wuhrer, Scarlett Johansson, Scott Terra, Leon Rippy, Doug E. Doug, Rick Overton

Director: Ellory Elkayem

Director: Ellory Elkayem
Screenwriter: Ellory Elkayem, Jesse Alexander
Producer: Dean Devlin, Bruce Berman
Composer: John Ottman
Studio: Warner Bros.

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Reviews for Eight Legged Freaks

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
01/26/06
Time Out
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Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
02/02/03
Empire Magazine
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Daily Mail [UK] | comment Comment
11/12/02
Jason Solomons
Jason Solomons
Daily Mail [UK]

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Full Review Source: ViewLondon | comment Comment
10/30/02
Matthew Turner
Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

The enormo-spiders have exactly the right presence, but the movie fails in its hour of introduction; its townspeople are not funny, they're boring.

Full Review Source: UK Critic | comment Comment
09/09/02
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
Ian Waldron-Mantgani
UK Critic
N/R

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Full Review Source: Guardian [UK] | comment Comment
08/20/02
Guardian [UK]
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N/R

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Full Review Source: FilmFour.com | comment Comment
08/13/02
FilmFour.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

A gem of a movie - a genuine "eww-gross" schlockhorror that's also a great send-up for fans of '50s B-movies.

Full Review Source: Teletext | comment Comment
08/08/02
Victor Olliver
Victor Olliver
Teletext

Flick your brain into neutral and let your nervous system be your guide.

Full Review Source: BBC | comment Comment
08/05/02
Nev Pierce
Nev Pierce
BBC
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Shadows on the Wall | comment Comment
07/18/02
Rich Cline
Rich Cline
Shadows on the Wall
N/R

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Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

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Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Mark Halverson
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review

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Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
12/27/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

The best giant-spider movie I've seen in quite some time.

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
07/30/07
Rob Gonsalves
Rob Gonsalves
eFilmCritic.com

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune | comment Comment
05/19/04
Colin Covert
Colin Covert
Minneapolis Star Tribune
N/R

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Full Review Source: FilmStew.com | comment Comment
02/01/04
FilmStew.com
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

No Aracnhophobia but still good.

Full Review Source: sbs.is | comment Comment
01/07/04
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
Stefan Birgir Stefansson
sbs.is

Click to read review

Full Review Source: TheMovieReport.com | comment Comment
01/07/04
Michael Dequina
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com

There's something distasteful about a supposed 'B-movie' made with the financial backing of a major Hollywood studio and production company.

Full Review Source: Star-Democrat (Easton, MD) | comment Comment
01/06/04
Greg Maki
Greg Maki
Star-Democrat (Easton, MD)
 
 
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