As a horror film, Sting is relatively mild, unless you have arachnophobia. In that case, even the modest jump scares and skin-crawling scenes could seem quite intense.
A tiny meteorite pierces through the window of a New York apartment and settles in a dollhouse. An unremarkable-looking spider crawls out and is quickly found by 12-year-old Charlotte (Alyla Brown), who adopts it as a pet. Charlotte keeps the spider, which she dubs Sting, in a jar and soon realizes it can mimic sounds. She trains Sting to respond to a feeding call and starts gathering insects from the apartment complex for its meals, all while keeping her new companion a secret from her family.
Naturally, as this is a horror film, Sting, the exceptionally smart alien spider, discovers a way to escape the jar and starts preying on the apartment building’s residents (and their pets) one after another. With each victim, the spider becomes increasingly larger.
Writer-director Kiah Roache-Turner integrates Charlotte’s family drama into the storyline. Charlotte resides with her mother, Heather (Penelope Mitchell), her stepfather, Ethan (Ryan Corr), and her infant brother, Liam. Her grandmother, Helga (Noni Hazlehurst), and Helga’s sister, Gunter (Robyn Nevin), who is the owner of the apartment complex, live in an adjacent apartment.
Ethan balances his roles as a building supervisor by day, a comic-book artist by night, and a full-time father to his newborn, Liam. Heather, who works from home, also dedicates time to caring for Liam and Helga, who is battling dementia. Amidst this, Charlotte feels neglected. Her resentment grows when she’s left to care for Liam in her parents’ absence.
Charlotte, a resourceful 12-year-old, seeks any means to escape her mundane surroundings. She has mastered the art of moving through the apartment’s air ducts with ninja-like stealth, often spying on her neighbors. However, when Sting’s eating habits pose a threat to her family, she must employ her skills to aid them.
Sting struck me as quite similar to Evil Dead Rise from 2023, especially with its setting in a cramped, rundown apartment building. However, Sting sets itself apart with its humor—enough to elicit at least a few laughs, mainly thanks to the shenanigans of the exterminator Frank, portrayed by Jermaine Fowler from The Blackening. As a horror film, Sting is relatively mild, unless you have arachnophobia. In that case, even the modest jump scares and skin-crawling scenes could seem quite intense.
As an example of a modern creature feature, Sting is a relatively entertaining way to spend an hour and a half. For those looking for hardcore thrills and chills, Sting won’t satisfy the craving.
3.5 out of 5.0 stars
