Panic Fest 2024 begins this year’s festival with a deadly opening-night feature, Sting. This highly anticipated arachnid horror film was written and directed by Australian filmmaker Kiah Roache-Turner (Wyrmwood: Road of the Dead, Nekrotronic). In the film we meet Charlotte, a clever yet devious little girl with a love of creepy things living in an apartment with her mother, baby half-brother, and step-father. After Charlotte finds a strange spider and keeps it as a pet, the spider rapidly grows in both size and appetite, threatening Charlotte’s family and everyone else in the apartment building.

Sting is not for the faint of heart, especially those who are arachnophobic. Roache-Turner takes the basic premise of a killer spider movie and ramps it up, giving this particular spider a unique origin and unexpected traits. This mystery adds to the tension, especially since it doesn’t act like your typical spider. When it comes to the human characters, there are some interesting dynamics being explored, especially when it comes to the relationship between Charlotte and her step-father, Ethan. Ethan clearly loves Charlotte and wants to have a good relationship, and Charlotte sometimes seems to adore Ethan, but her loyalty to her biological father keeps her from completely opening up. The family elements heighten the tension and terror, especially as Charlotte’s would-be pet runs amok and leaves a trail of carnage in its wake. Sprinkled throughout the mayhem is plenty of humor to deliver laughs between the screams.

The characters within the apartment building are almost as strange and unique as the spider itself. It’s a quirky cast of characters, some leaning more into caricature to add to the more humorous moments. For the most part it’s easy to understand and connect with the various residents, though this is also where there is room for improvement. There is almost too much focus on creating outlandish, kooky characters and not enough focus on the relationships and motivations. There’s one character, Erik, who is funny in his awkwardness, yet some of his actions have no clear motivation, ultimately leaving many lingering questions. Even with the more well-developed characters there are unanswered questions. Having these answers would have not only helped the audience to better understand the people on screen, but it also would deepen the connection to these characters, in turn heightening the fear as we watch them try to survive.

The entire cast doesn’t hold back, giving performances audiences are sure to remember. Alyla Browne (Three Thousand Years of Longing, The Lost Flowers of Alice Heart) stars as Charlotte. It’s clear Charlotte has a rebellious streak and enjoys things others would find creepy and weird, but she’s also very intelligent and has a compassionate side she tries to hide. Browne is a force, easily endearing the audience to this misunderstood little misfit with a secret heart of gold. Ryan Corr (House of the Dragon, Wolf Creek 2) plays Charlotte’s step-dad, Ethan. Corr makes Ethan immediately endearing as he balances being a husband, a father, paying the bills by being the building super, and also trying to pursue his dream of being a comic book artist. He’s a lovable character on his own, but it’s when Ethan interacts with Charlotte that Corr’s performance really shines. Other notable performances come from Jermaine Fowler (The Blackening), Noni Hazlehurst (Candy), and Danny Kim (Born to Spy).

A definitely highlight of Sting is the artistry. Obviously a vital part of this is the spider itself. The filmmakers utilized a combination of practical and CGI effect to bring the creepy-crawly to life. Both methods are very well executed and perfectly deliver a horrific arachnid to haunt your nightmares. Another beautiful element is the production and set design. Throughout the film audiences see the inside of four different apartments within the building, each with the same basic layout. Yet each apartment looks entirely unique and gives the audience an idea of the personalities of each inhabitant. There is also quite a bit of action that takes place in the building’s ducts and creepy basement space, which is the perfect domain for a killer spider.

Sting is a heart-felt, funny, and frightful arachnid horror film that will make you check all the dark corners of your home before going to bed. Roache-Turner once again proves his mastery of the horror genre. There are definitely lingering questions that would have helped to better explain character motivations and deepen the emotions, but Browne and Corr bring fantastic standout performances to hook audiences. There’s no denying Sting is a crowd-pleasing adrenaline ride delivering laughs, heart, and plenty of scares that will become an instant favorite among horror fans.

OVERALL RATING: 7.5/10