Arachnophobes beware, this killer spider from out of space creature feature isn’t for the faint of heart. Written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner (Wyrmwood, Nekrotronic), Sting follows a young girl who secretly raises a spider as her pet, which subsequently transforms into a deadly monster.
The story centers on Charlotte (Furiosa’s Alyla Browne), a rebellious 12-year-old. Charlotte lives in a rundown apartment building owned by her misanthropic great aunt. She shares the space with her overworked novel artist stepfather Ethan (played by Australian actor Ryan Corr), her mother Heather (played by Penelope Mitchell from Hemlock Grove), and her baby half-brother Liam.
When she discovers a spider hatched from a glowing object in the apartment of her ailing grandmother, Charlotte decides to keep it as a pet. As Sting grows uncontrollably, it soon turns into a giant monster, leading to deadly consequences for people in the building.
Director Roache-Turner delivers a well-crafted blend of practical effects and CGI in a film that knows its intended audience inside out. Impressive special effects aside, Sting also provides a heartfelt narrative about a blended family’s struggle with getting along just like any other family.
Granted, the horror references can feel a bit too on the nose, and the conventional family drama between Charlotte and her stepdad seems somewhat overdone. But, the film manages to deliver some choice blood and gore and plenty of laugh out loud moments.
Aside from Charlotte and her family, most of the characters in the building are quite one-dimensional—the quirky scientist in one flat, the depressive grieving drunk woman in another. There is very little here in a way of narrative that feels believable or even slightly coherent, but it is clear that Roache-Turner has allocated most of the film’s budget to the special effects.
Ultimately, it’s all a bit silly and more than a little contrived, but this is definitely one for the creature feature fanatics. Just make sure to leave your brain at the door, because where you’re going, you won’t be needing it.
