The PC term is large posteriored arachnid.
When you call your film Big Ass Spider you set both a tone and a ceiling. First, you better have a big ass spider and a healthy dose of ridiculousness. Second, prospective viewers must set expectations in a range from Piranha 3DD to Mega Piranha. Thankfully this large posteriored arachnid settles at the upper end of the ‘totally unnecessary, unbelievably stupid and pointless giant creature’ market, a market that seems to be growing in direct correlation with the increased availability of cheap CGI effects.
Alex is a jovial pest exterminator and self professed bugspert. He specialises in spiders, feeling strangely impelled to inform others of his ability to “get into the spider’s brain”. Wonder if that skill will be called upon today?
The juiced up creepy crawly arrives as a mere bub the size of a dinner plate. Of course it grows at an exponential rate, and is soon snapping up Los Angelenos equally quickly, displayed a voracious appetite and some clumsy CGI.
With the government and police powerless to put a stop to proceedings, it is up to Alex and a diminutive Mexican security guard to show the eight legged terror just whose running things.
Thankfully that’s more than enough. Aided by admirably cheap effects and a willingness to embrace the ridiculous premise, Big Ass Spider is one of the rare films in this genre worth watching for more than the right to say “watched Big Ass Spider last night” and the ensuing reactions from stupendous workmates.
Sure you have to embrace your inner seven year old to appreciate the fact that the spider can grow from tennis ball to a hot air balloon in eight hours or so, and cringe at some of the acting on display, but Big Ass Spider is more than a deliberately silly name. Not much more mind you, but more nonetheless.
Final Rating – 7 / 10. Sure it’s terrible. Terrible like any film called Big Ass Spider should be. But the right kind of terrible that makes it worth seeing.
