‘There’s nothing ‘itsy bitsy’ about it’
Spider in the Attic is a 2021 British horror film about a deadly nest of nasty big arachnids lurking in a dead scientist’s country cottage.
Unfortunately, the nest’s creepy crawly creatures are about to be awoken by a failing radio broadcaster, her sceptic colleagues and daughters. Initially known as Spider from the Attic
Written and directed by Scott Jeffrey (The Mutation; Bad Nun: Deadly Vows; Don’t Speak; Cupid; ClownDoll) and co-produced by Rhys Waterfield (Dinosaur Hotel; Dragon Fury).
The Jagged Edge Productions movie stars Nicola Wright (Exorcist Vengeance; The Curse of Humpty Dumpty; Hatched; Amityville Cornfield), Kate Sandison (Bats; Dinosaur Hotel; Rise of the Mummy; Medusa: Queen of the Serpents), Sarah Alexandra Marks (Exorcist Vengeance), Chelsea Greenwood, Clint Gordon, Danielle Scott and Chris Cordell.
The soundtrack score was composed by Andy Fosberry (Crocodile Vengeance; The Legend of Jack and Jill; Easter Killing; The Mutation; Hatched).
Our review:
Anyone expecting exciting arachnid action will be sorely disappointed by Spider in the Attic. But, given that this is a Scott Jeffrey production that can surely be no surprise.
Indeed, after a few fleeting moments of a CGI spider at the start, it’s 28 minutes in until we briefly see a couple of the oddly-shaped spiders for a few seconds. Predictably, the film immediately reverts back to a tiresome pregnancy/relationship drama that surely no one is in the slightest bit interested in. Beyond all the domestic dreariness, the main characters’ actions and decisions are head-shakingly daft.
There’s a brief mention of the dead scientist being a Nazi and something about the arachnids being extraterrestrial but nothing is ever clear or explained. As usual, Nicola Wright’s performance is markedly better than the rest of the cast although, again, what she was given to work with is pitiful.
Even more pitiful are some early scenes set at a radio station that would make Ed Wood blush: a couple of dining room chairs are placed against something that doesn’t even approximate an office work desk whilst the actors are surrounded by cheapo dividers to mask where it’s really shot. Surely an IKEA work desk and a couple of office chairs could have at least been borrowed for an hour or two?
Some of the recent movies Jeffrey has overseen as a producer, such as It Came from Below and Medusa, have shown more promise but this illogical, miserable and dispiriting effort is sadly and firmly a return to the likes of his dire Rise of the Mummy and The Leprechaun’s Game efforts. Spiders onscreen always have such great potential, whatever their size. Just not in Scott Jeffrey’s realm, alas.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews [contain spoilers]:
“The movie’s last half hour does mount some tension – despite the abrupt end – improved by Andrew Fosberry’s atmospheric soundtrack, in contrast to the rather talky first two-thirds; Spider in the Attic isn’t great but, like a lot of Jeffrey’s movies, it has its heart in the right place and is definitely worth a watch.” Dark Eyes of London
” …it disappoints, as expected […] As you can guess, spiders attack, but director/co-writer Scott Jeffrey (Cannibal Troll) sure takes his damn sweet time to let them loose. Killing the entire vibe of such a enterprise, the arachnids come so crudely computer-animated, they’re not threatening.” Flick Attack
Trailer:
Full free movie to watch online:
Filming locations:
Pekes Manor House, Chiddingly, Hailsham, East Sussex (also used for Monster Portal)
Technical details:
1 hour 23 minutes
