Any creature feature worth its salt will, predictably, generally follow a well-worn path and set of rules plucked from classics like “Jaws,” “Jurassic Park,” or any number of sequels to “Alien.” A similar structure exists within any memorable creature thriller and the challenge a filmmaker must face in trying to elevate what is essentially a well-known edifice into something more than ordinary. At a minimum, those same-ish results habitually wind up on the safe side of a fun, mindless viewing experience, with the unwritten rule that the slightest mark of an acceptable monster outing shouldn’t be anything one needs to process for longer than a millisecond. And so the mildly entertaining, but not particularly remarkably original, “Sting” is one such movie.
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Unfolding in a cold, wintry New York, within the recesses of a somewhat derelict apartment complex where the film’s events entirely occur, an exterminator (Jermaine Fowler)is called to eliminate a seemingly harmless eight-legged threat. And predictably, it turns out far more sinister; the tendency to compare what’s transpired to 1990’s genre-defining “Arachnophobia” becomes near-impossible to set aside. However, the arrival of an asteroid does set it apart from the latter’s more Earth-bound arachnid origins—an interstellar rock immediately depicts the spidery villain emerging from within as the opening credits roll. The building is home to the family of apartment maintenance head Ethan (Ryan Corr), wife Heather (Penelope Mitchell), the curious stepdaughter Charlotte (Alyla Browne), and infant son, as well as Heather’s dementia-stricken mother Helga (Noni Hazelhurst) and live-in caretaker Gunter (Robyn Nevin). And it isn’t long before the pest finds itself in contact with the curious Charlotte, as the girl is quick to form a bond, giving it the name of the film’s title and marveling over its ability to grow in size in addition to mimicking certain sounds rapidly. None of this can be good.
Drifting alongside Charlotte’s relationship with Sting lies a family subplot that doesn’t feel entirely out of place as Ethan attempts to strengthen his relationship with the young girl through their shared love of comic books and his pursuit of success in the field. Naturally, the arrival of Sting and his desire to consume building inhabitants one by one places a roadblock firmly within Ethan’s path, one which quickly introduces levels of strain into his job and family dynamic. There’s even Heather’s rekindled communication with her ex-husband, an offscreen presence, and somewhat intertwined with the drama on top of it all. Outside of another tenant (Danny Kim) possessing some strange level of knowledge of spidery beings, few are privy to Sting’s illicit activities. So, it’s up to Ethan to prove to everyone that this creature is, indeed, the monster it purports to be before the entire building becomes wrapped in a web of domestic madness.
By cutting the number of spiders down from the “Arachnophobia” army to just one and establishing its origin as emerging from the depths of outer space, “Sting” already find a way to distinguish itself from its early-’90s counterpart; the small town setting of the former feeling substantially more significant than the closed confines of this newer film. Though undeniably smaller scale, by making the title character considerably larger, it takes on the feel of an “Alien” in more ways than one, with the familiar plotline mainly working in service of the battle with Sting. Unfortunately, the film’s continued reliance on the tropes of “Arachnophobia” does feel less like a tribute and more like a copycat. From Fowler’s recurring exterminator who can’t help but conjure up images of John Goodman‘s unforgettable role to Nevin’s caretaker, who also seems to be this film’s version of Jeff Daniels‘ doctor rival (Sam Metcalf) in the 1990 classic, the similarities are hard to miss.
It’s worth mentioning that the final moments inevitably tee up a sequel. And a degree of creativity can be found in some of the film’s decent editing, even if said creativity stumbles in ways that include the bizarre weapon Charlotte assembles to take down Sting herself. No real explanation for Sting’s origin occurs, but as the smash cut transitions to credits, it’s apparent none of that really mattered anyhow. Overthinking “Sting” is a proper exercise in futility, and shedding such a tendency makes enjoying the adventure easy. It’s a minor little effort, with only a tiny venom, but its bite should do the trick for any genre head with 90 minutes to spare. [B-]