After raising an unnervingly talented spider in secret, 12-year-old Charlotte must face the facts about her pet-and fight for her family's survival-when the once-charming creature rapidly transforms into a giant, flesh-eating monster.
Suitably contrived and silly, you can't knock this for style. It lacks a great deal in the storytelling department, nearer eight-legged freaks in the narrative approach, rather than Arachnaphobia, for example, but this is still immense fun for lovers of unashmed, creepy-crawly jump scares. E.B White readers will note the irony of our main protaganist, the young Charlotte, who captures an alien spider, by happenstance, whilst up to no good, highlighting both her independence and her smarts.
The effects by Weta are something to behold, and this is the main selling point, if we're honest, as when there is little characterisation on display, they are good enough to at least give us the morbid eye candy instead.
It's really quite the feat not to have fun with this, as it demands very little in the grey matter from its audience and whilst not taxing on the plot, it still retains a suitable level of admittedly comic dread.
The performances by all are really above the level required for such a flick with a great performance especially from Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, Nine Perfect Strangers) who has an innate talent for delivery beyond her years, employed usefully here.
In summary, this is a great popcorn effort that knows its limitations maybe more than its target audience, balancing grisly uncomfortable visuals at times, yet not afraid to embellish the humour where appropriate.
Not the first really suitable date-night flick this week, but probably the best.