Customer Reviews

Arachnophobia

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(25)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"Arachnophobia" is a clever comedy/thriller sure to scare the spider-phobes out there. Jeff Daniels and Harley Jane Kozak star as Dr. Ross and Molly Jennings, a young couple who have moved to the country to start his medical practice. Little do they know that a huge, deadly spider has arrived from South America and is reproducing - a lot! One by one, town residents start dropping like flies, until Ross figures out they were all bitten by spiders. This brings back memories of a childhood trauma that left him with a paralyzing fear of spiders - and the spider's nest is right in Ross' barn.

There are many creepy scenes of menacing spiders that will have you looking around to make sure none are near you. They must have used some robotic spiders, but they all looked very real to me. The idyllic rural setting contrasts nicely with the intensely scary stalking spiders. Daniels is perfect as the dedicated doctor, and John Goodman has a small but funny part as an exterminator. The movie may be too scary for very young children, but others will giggle a little and gasp a lot.

Kona

I thought that archnophobia was a great movie. It was Thrilling and funny, and I recomend it to anyone who likes a good thriller. I think that the guy who gave it one star needs to get a life and stop taking things to seriously. He's a little too attached to spiders if you know what I mean.

This often amusing, sometimes suspenseful film about killer spiders starts out in the dense jungles of Venezuela, with bug-O-maniac Julian Sands, as he tracks down a new species of lethal as well as big and hairy arachnid. One of these hairy creatures finds its way to sweet suburbia in California, using a wooden coffin as transport, and starts mating with the local spider population, causing havoc and rigor mortis.
City transplant Jeff Daniels, a doctor with severe arachnophobia, who wants the quiet country life as long as he doesn't have to see a spider, finds himself the center of controversy because of the deaths, and his newly bought house infested with the critters. Daniels, one of Hollywood's more underrated actors, gives a terrific performance as Dr. Jennings, as he tries some hands-on therapy for his phobia.

John Goodman is hilarious as the town exterminator, who if he can't kill 'em with insecticide, uses his big boots, and others in the fine cast are Harley Jane Kozak as Molly Jennings, Henry Jones as old Dr. Metcalf, and Stuart Pankin as stubborn Sheriff Parsons. This was the feature film directorial debut for Frank Marshall, who has been known mostly as a producer, mainly for Stephen Spielberg's films. A good score by Trevor Jones (with songs like Jimmy Buffett's "Don't Bug Me") adds to the overall enjoyment of this fun creature feature, which takes us back to the days when the bugs were filmed in black and white.
Total running time is 103 minutes.

This is a perfect starter for Halloween, just enough scares and fun to get you in the mood. 'Arachnophobia' would have been an even better film if it was scarier and funnier. It all seems pretty "middle of the road" to me. It's an enjoyable film unless you can't handle watching spiders, but it seems a bit uneven in tone. The DVD transfer is OK, but could be improved also. All in all, it's a good family horror movie, nothing too intense, but a lot of fun.

Pretty scary stuff. I had to turn it off the first time I ever saw it. I did end up finishing it and have enjoyed it ever since. Every time I see it I spend the rest of the night swatting phantom insects off my arms and every little thing that brushes my leg is enough to send me rocketing to the ceiling with a bloodcurdling scream. Jeff Daniels played a good role as the main character who was...this was the only part of the movie that I felt was a little too plotted...afraid of spiders.

Julian Sands was great as the rather lofty, condescending professor, Dr. Atherton. I was disappointed, however, to see that a man who was written into the plot as an expert of spiders would honestly walk right into the spiders' lair and be killed off so easily. Maybe I just didn't want his character to die since I'm a fan of Julian Sands, but I still maintain that Dr. Atherton would not have been that nieve about the nest.

Anyway, moving on...all in all, I love this movie and the climax keeps you on the edge of your seat. You might breathe maybe two breaths total during the basement scene, when Daniels' character is fighting the father spider.

I am not a fan of horror or thriller movies, but I have seen this one several times. The first time I saw it I screamed through almost the whole thing. It scared me to death! I am absolutely terrified of spiders and yet I watched it. *lol* For those who like a good scare (minus anything overly-gory) with some laughs, this is a good movie to watch. John Goodman is very funny as the exterminator. I do not recommend this one for children. The language is a bit much. And smaller children could have nightmares.

Arachnophobia delivers both chills and laughs. In this movie, a race of deadly spiders get loose in a small town and start biting the townspeople at alarming rates. All spider haters, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. Great Fun. Jeff Daniels is terrific.

This was a good movie. Creepy in the right way. Doesn't quite do to spiders what Jaws did with sharks, but worth the viewing.

On a side note, I can't believe the moron who complained about the killing of spiders in this movie. Pal, life must be pretty boring for you.

Arachnophobia is a thriller that will have you checking everywhere for spiders for months! Anyone who is even slightly creeped out by spiders will be on the edge of their seat.

The pace and tone is Hitchcock. Great acting, music, special effects, slam-bang ending.

Huge killer spider from South America hitches a ride with a photographer's corpse to the United States, mates with a common female spider, and spawns a legion of small killer spiders that turn a peaceful little town upside down. Awesome roller coaster ride of a movie that gives you fears you never thought you could have. The best scene has to be when the spider drapes across the television set during FAMILY TIES.