‘Eight Legged Freaks’ Blu-Ray Review – Giant Mutant Spiders Conjure Old-School Nostalgia

What do you get when you cross toxic waste with a bunch of exotic spiders? Eaten! The townies of Prosperity, Arizona will all become a screaming smorgasbord if mutated arachnids as big as SUVs have their way in this comedy/horror crowd pleaser whose creators include the producers of Independence Day and Godzilla. Spiders that leap like gazelles, web-spitting spiders, spiders that suck your insides out as if through a straw – they’re all among the behemoths conjured up by an inventive effects team. David Arquette (Scream) leads the two-legged stars, mobilizing the citizenry in a last-ditch fight to survive. Here’s hoping they succeed. Otherwise, Prosperity – maybe the world – could be reduced to one giant, uh, website!

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Video Quality

Eight Legged Freaks first debuted on Blu-Ray in 2021 via Scream Factory with a 1080p transfer that is derived from a new 2K scan of the Interpositive. This transfer is a favorable representation of the feature with a naturally filmic presentation that brings out a world of intricate detail. While there are obvious examples of CGI throughout, there is a good amount of practical effects that allow this one to feel more charming and tactile than many modern productions. You cannot miss the subtle textures in the clothing, production design, and makeup effects. The only thing that does not look excellent are the dated CGI spiders in some of the action sequences, but this is inherent to the source and not an issue with the transfer. 

Any previous print damage has been eradicated for a clean and consistent viewing experience. The transfer does not stumble with any density fluctuation or other unwanted anomalies. The color palette is natural with a rich depth when it comes to lighting, fiery explosions, and dusty landscapes. Black levels provide a notable amount of depth and detail. Highlights never succumb to blooming even in the brightest instances. This Blu-Ray release is great and a huge upgrade from the ancient DVD.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a mighty DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that is perfect for this invasion flick. Environmental noises are very active in making this world feel alive and unnerving. From the chaotic dirt bike chases to the gentle moments with the family, this track executes every situation with great care. The low end provides excellent texture that expands the world without being overly punchy. The fun score flows through without any hint of damage or distortion. Dialogue comes through crisply and clearly even in the most chaotic moments. Scream Factory has provided a dazzling audio experience that handles this one well. English SDH subtitles are provided for those who want them.

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Director Ellory Elkayem, producer Dean Devlin, and actors David Arquette and Rick Overton provide an archival commentary track in which you get some background information on the production, the challenges of the shoot, the casting process, the special effects process, and more. 

• It’s An Invasion – The Making Of Eight Legged Freaks: A new nearly 42-minute retrospective featurette featuring new interviews with producers Dead Devlin and Roland Emmerich, director Ellory Elkayem, creature effects artist Bill Johnson, animal trainer Cris Rankin, composer John Ottman, and actors Doug E. Doug and Rick Overton. This provides great anecdotes about the origins of the film, the development of the characters, the location shooting, meddling in the production, the post-production process, the rollout of the film, and more. 

• Spine-Tingling Additional Scenes: A 13-minute collection of unused material is provided in standard definition.

• Building the Special Effects: A 16-minute archival piece that takes you through the creation of the digital effects in the film.

• Larger Than Life: The original 13-minute short film that landed Ellory Elkayem the directing gig for Eight Legged Freaks. 

• Original Theatrical Trailer: The minute-and-a-half-long trailer is provided here.  

Final Thoughts

Eight Legged Freaks is a pretty fun giant creature feature outing that needed a bit more cohesion to make it a mainstay. The tonal balance never really locks into the perfect frequency, as the comedic moments feel a bit scattershot and inconsistent – not to mention very dated from a modern context. The film could have doubled down on the thrills while still keeping things engaging for a broad audience. As it stands, the adventure is enjoyable with a solid cast and some great (and not-so-great) special effects. If you want a throwback effort, it does the trick. Scream Factory released the film on Blu-Ray with a strong A/V presentation and a nice amount of special features. If you like the film, this release does it proud. Recommended 

Eight Legged Freaks is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.