Too much of everything

Am I Missing Something?

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

A species of South American killer spider hitches a lift to the United States in a coffin and starts to breed and kill.This film came out when I was young, so I probably first saw it when I was 10 or 12. And I recall it being pretty funny. Watching it now (2017), it does not have the humor I recall. Even John Goodman seems to come up short.Now, if anything, it should be better than I remembered because Julian Sands is in it, as well as Jeff Daniels. Names and faces I love but would not have known about as a kid. How did this film age so poorly.... or did I just enter it in the wrong frame of mind?

There seemed to be an interest in infectious diseases and dangerous insects at this time in the movies. I think there was a killer bee scare at the time. Anyway, some people in Venezuela are killed by a spider which then hitchhiker with the body returning to California. People start to die and Jeff Daniels has the job of figuring things out. When he realizes it's spiders, he is terrified, being an arachnophobe. Of course, there is no shortage of stupid people who get themselves killed because they think it's something else. An elderly doctor tries to get autopsies done on the bodies but there is resistance---until he, himself, is killed. The spiders have the ability, through breeding with other arachnids, to set off a plague. It's a pretty good story. Better than most. Jeff Daniels is good as the suffering investigator.

Released in 1990 and directed by Frank Marshall, "Arachnophobia" is a horror film about a killer South American spider that hitches a ride in a coffin to a small town on the central Californian coast where it breeds and causes wholesale havoc. Jeff Daniel is a new doctor in town with Harley Jane Kozak as his wife. John Goodman is on hand as a redneck exterminator while Julian Sands plays the spider expert with Brian McNamara as his protégé. "Arachnophobia" plays like any number of Syfy creature features, but with a blockbuster budget and a somewhat Disney-esque vibe. It's horror, but its more polished and family friendly than the typical horror flick, plus there's a comedic edge, particularly with Delbert the exterminator (Goodman). I'm not afraid of spiders, but there are several genuine jump scares and Marshall effectively makes the critters creepy with the clever use of shadow, camera angle,etc. Moreover, Daniels makes for a great protagonist. Unfortunately, the movie fumbles the ball in the female department. Beyond Kozak, whose role is relatively peripheral as the protagonist's wife, where are the babes? Cori Wellins as Becky Beechwood could've worked, but her part is limited to a brief shower scene, which is competent as far as arachnid creepiness goes. To be clear, I'm not talking about female nudity or sex scenes; I'm just talking about one or two prominent good-lookin' women in the cast, like Kari Wuhrer and Scar-Jo in 2002's "Eight Legged Freaks."Speaking of which, how does "Arachnophobia" compare to other spider-oriented horror flicks, like "Eight Legged Freaks," 1958's "The Spider" (aka "Earth vs. the Spider") and 1977's "Kingdom of the Spiders"? I think it's the best of the lot, babes or no babes. The movie takes its time, but is compelling from a dramatic viewpoint, as it slowly builds suspense; and the awesome Venezuelan scenes in the prologue don't hurt. The movie runs 103 minutes and was shot in Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Venezuela; Cambria, Pasadena, Venice & Burbank Studios, California. GRADE: B+

Are you afraid of spiders? We believe everyone is afraid of the furry eight legged spiders.If you are afraid, then force yourself to watch this incredible movie! South American killer spider hitches a lift to the US in a coffin and starts to breed and kill. This is one of the scariest spider films of all times.A great cast with Jeff Daniels, Harley Jane Kozak, John Goodman, Julian Sands and more.We'd recommend this movie to anyone who has not seen it. Check it out and you won't be disappointed especially if you have Arachnophobia.....