Nerds That Geek Movie Review: ‘Infested’

4/29/2024

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Still from Sébastien Vanícek’s INFESTED Courtesy of Shudder. A Shudder Release.

One truth about the horror genre that fans of it and fans of cinema can all agree upon, is that horror stories truly do an amazing job of exploring our deepest and darkest fears. For there are so many horror stories that explore our deep-rooted fears of the dark, and that which goes bump in the night. Not to mention… the genre also goes far deeper than one might expect regarding our fears. Since it has also deeply pondered upon our fears of death, of how we are terrified of transforming into monsters ourselves, and in more recent years, it has even taken the time to think upon the impact that trauma and loss has upon the human psyche… since there are horrors to be found there.

Not to mention… this is also a genre that knows how to hold up a mirror to modern society and explore our flaws and our concerns. But what’s amazing, is that despite being able to explore so much, and showcase terrors untold and introduce us to all kinds of unique monsters along the way, the genre is by no means perfect… and sometimes neglects opportunities to shock us and scare us through the simplest means or fears possible. Take for instance, our fear of bugs and creepy crawlies, or spiders… to be more specific. For the genre simply has not made great efforts to explore those fears and why we harbor them. Granted, there are exceptions to the rule, but for every Arachnophobia released, there’s plenty of parody stories and/or films a la Kingdom of the Spiders to be found.

But with the demand for new stories at an all time, and with so many creatives eager to explore corners of our fears that have been neglected, it would seem the tide is turning regarding the genre and its need to bring us to new and scary places, as evidenced by the latest release on Shudder. For Infested is a story that offers chills and thrills and preys upon our deep-rooted fear of the spider, and it accomplishes this feat by way of a simple yet impactful storyline. One where we are introduced to a young man named Kaleb who has sadly, made a poor choice. For he picked up a strange spider from a dealer of the random, one unlike any other mankind has ever seen. For this little monster, has a massive appetite and can breed quickly, and grow and adapt based upon the needs of its environment and it, has escaped into Kaleb’s apartment building and now he and his friends must fight to survive a rapidly growing nightmare that is relentless and starving.

Which is… the perfect way to offer up a scary spider story. One that truly plucks at our fears of them. Because the creative team here has given life to a force of nature, one that plays by its own rules and will stop at nothing to survive. That brings forth a bevy of unique spiders and unique scenarios that aren’t familiar or cliché in the slightest. Instead, the audience is treated to new scares and creative moments involving these mysterious spiders, the kind that truly get under your skin and build anxiety and at times, make you wonder if your skin is crawling because something is there or because your mind is playing tricks on you and that leads… to one terrifying feature. One that makes you feel uncomfortable because the unknown yet familiar is on display and you simply have no idea what kinds of horrors this new species of spider will impart upon the residents of this complex.

But what’s amazing is that the refreshing and unique scares aren’t the only reason this movie reaches us on a fundamental level. For we’d be remiss to not point out that the writing is top notch and clever and it offers up scenarios that feel real and harbor echoes of our own ugly encounters with the eight-legged monsters we fear. Not to mention, the characters are also incredibly relatable and incredibly real. Which allows for us to genuinely care about them, and their fight for survival as they battle these awful little monsters through and through and of course… there are echoes of commentary to be found here as well to make sure this movie appeals to all. Since it does feature moments that feel familiar from the last few years and speak to our newfound fears of mother nature’s wrath following the madness of Covid-19.

However, while those elements are indeed fascinating and welcome, since they help to offer up a well-rounded story, make no mistake about it… this is a movie where the spider is king and where it is designed to terrify us, and this movie accomplishes that mission. For the spiders are truly scary here, on a level that they have not been since Arachnophobia came out all those years ago. All courtesy of a story that reminds us why we are terrified of them. Since they are so alien and unpredictable in nature and all of these elements give rise to a must-see horror feature. Simply because this really is a scary feature through and through, one that will absolutely prompt you to double check those dark corners for an arachnid, and your shoes… since it reawakens an old fear in our minds or in the case of some… amplifies a fear that never seems to fade.

Watch ‘Infested’

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