Eight Legged Freaks (2002)

Eight Legged Freaks (2002), directed by Ellory Elkayem, is a creature feature that embraces the campy, over-the-top nature of its premise while delivering a fun and action-packed ride. With a title like that, it’s clear this movie isn’t trying to be a highbrow masterpiece; instead, it revels in its B-movie absurdity, combining giant spiders, small-town humor, and a tongue-in-cheek plot. A throwback to the monster movies of the 1950s, Eight Legged Freaks is a nostalgic, popcorn-munching experience for fans of creature features and light-hearted horror-comedy.
The film is set in the small town of Fort Phoenix, where a toxic waste spill at a local chemical plant causes a series of unfortunate events. The spill has a bizarre effect on the town’s wildlife, causing a variety of creatures—including spiders—to grow to massive, frightening sizes. A group of spiders, once harmless, are now mutated and rampaging through the town, terrorizing the residents.
The story follows Chris McCormick (David Arquette), a local who has returned to his hometown after a long absence. He teams up with his former high school crush, Ashley (Kari Wuhrer), and a band of quirky townsfolk as they struggle to survive the spider invasion. Along the way, they must fight their way through the ever-growing hordes of arachnids, using anything they can find to try to take down the monstrous pests before the town is completely overrun.
As the spiders grow increasingly larger and more aggressive, the residents of Fort Phoenix must put aside their differences and work together to fight off the arachnid menace. The film is full of moments where the characters use improvised weapons, a combination of slapstick comedy and action sequences, to fend off the creepy crawlies.