Solidrariol Am I Missing Something?

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Janae Milner Easily the biggest piece of Right wing non sense propaganda I ever saw.

Payno I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Scott LeBrun Top notch nature-on-the-rampage thriller takes its time getting started, but emerges a real grabber. It's extremely well directed (by John "Bud" Cardos), with lots of great animal action. It's solidly acted by a sturdy cast led by the almighty William Shatner. It builds to one hell of an intense "Night of the Living Dead" style climax, intercut with catastrophic scenes in the local town that makes one wonder how the characters can possibly hope to prevail. The onslaught of ferocious tarantulas is awe-inspiring.The Shat, at his charismatic best, plays "Rack" Hansen, amiable small town veterinarian who calls in big city entomologist Diane Ashley (70s B movie hottie Tiffany Bolling) when faced with the death of rancher Walter Colby's (Woody Strode) prize calf. She realizes that the cause of death was injection of spider venom. Soon scores of tarantulas swarm through the desert, attacking humans and other larger life forms basically because the over use of DDT has eliminated the arachnids' normal food supply.Shatner, Bolling, and the always excellent Strode are well supported by Lieux Dressler, David McLean, Natasha Ryan, Altovise Davis, Marcy Lafferty (Shatners' then-wife, playing his sister- in-law), Roy Engel, and Hoke Howell. The movie is nicely photographed by John Arthur Morrill on picturesque Arizona desert locations. The images of numerous extras covered with tarantulas - and webbing as well - is pretty chilling. There's a touch of "Jaws" in the screenplay by Richard Robinson and Alan Caillou in that the local mayor (Engel) doesn't want anything to hurt the success of the county fair going on. And the implications of that final shot are spooky.A very fine movie of its type.Eight out of 10.

slayrrr666 "Kingdom of the Spiders" is a better-than-expected killer spider film.**SPOILERS**Investigating a sick cow, veterinarian Rack Hanson, (William Shatner) discovers something strange with the creature that eventually results in Diane Ashley, (Tiffany Bolling) a professional entomologist, to visit saying that it was a spider bite. Extremely skeptical of the whole affair, he is soon convinced of their presence through a series of spider related animal deaths in town, but their efforts to control them merely infuriate the creatures and send them on a series of attacks on the town. Forced to defend themselves, the remaining survivors, Emma Washburn, (Lieux Dressler) Terri, (Marcy Lafferty) and Linda Hanson, (Natasha Ryan) Vern, (Joe Ross) and Betty Johnson, (Adele Malis) and Sheriff Gene Smith, (David McLean) struggle to find a way of getting away from the creatures alive.The Good News: This one had some really good stuff to it that makes it quite enjoyable. One of the biggest pluses here is the film's 70s-style feel that makes it really easy to find this one believable. From the open-area shots that really give it the out-doors feel to the use of actual spiders seen crawling over everything and even to the dangerous look of the attacks in here, there's no mistaking this one as coming from anywhere but that time-frame, and it really works to the film's advantage. More good stuff includes the massive amount of attacks that take place in here, which is really nice to see. With a sequence in a flying airplane flying over town, filled with them crawling over the pilot as he loses control and eventually crashing to them invading several homes, one unsuccessfully warding them off with gunshots while the other managing to avoid them appearing beneath their child's feet while on a swing-set in a masterfully creepy sequence, this one has plenty of good attack sequences that range the gamut from action-packed to suspenseful. Another action-scene is a surprise appearance in a car causing a massive crash and a gruesome discovery later, while more big suspense encounters are the spider discovery while cleaning up after a shower and a fantastic stalking scene at a picnic that even threatens animals as well as the unsuspecting human target. Each style, though, gets a major set-piece to really set itself apart, and both are real highlight pieces. The suspense one is the bigger, since it's longer, and is the extended hold-out in the lodge. From the set-up of the swarm out in front to the mummified corpse, it starts off wonderfully and transforms into the kitchen ambush, where it gets even more suspenseful with them dropping down unsuspectingly and requiring innovative tactics to stop them. With other big ambushes in the bedroom and then through windows and the fireplace forcing them to race into defense modes in really creepy scenes that are really good just top off the entire segment. The last part in the basement is just as good, with the darkened room and them completely crawling over everything makes it that much better, and the quick shots of them dropping onto him and his reactions are just perfect for the scene and make the entire part all that much better. The action part is the mass attack on the town, and it doesn't disappoint, with the mummified and dying bodies crawling with spiders in an impressive visual, and the mass panic and chaos as the population is shown crawling with them as well as the ground completely covered for the most part is just thrilling and really enjoyable. The action also includes the destruction of a major piece of the town and it looks really good as well, which is always important. The finale is also really good, much more impressive than what would be done today and makes for a fantastic finish that is really chilling. The last plus is the impressive build-up in here, which is handled the right way. From the animal-stalking and talk of spider venom to the subplot of the enormous spider-hills and eventual attacks, it's all good. These are the good parts.The Bad News: There were only a few flaws to this one that hurt it. One of the film's biggest problems is the pacing in here where there's not one single attack on the towns-members until around the hour-mark, which is something that really needed to be fixed. It's still enjoyable in the sense that you don't notice it at all, but the fact remains that there isn't too many attacks until that point, and due to them constantly being featured, it doesn't feel that long but it still could've used another one or two since characters are suddenly found dead in the last-half with no on-screen attack, which could've been shoehorned into the beginning. The main reason why it's so long is due to the large amount of time developing its romance angle, which isn't surprising and doesn't result in anything remotely interesting or even new to the genre. From their dinner meetings and scenes gallivanting around town, there's plenty of time wasted of them getting friendly with each other, and it sort of takes away from the spider angle. The last problem is the few early attacks shown here aren't that long, as most of them are done in a matter of a few minutes. While several of them are supposed to be that way, it's just the length of some could've been extended to make them a bit more exciting and chilling, but these are the film's flaws.The Final Verdict: Not really burdened down by too many flaws, this one actually has a lot going for it so it manages to really feel quite enjoyable and entertaining. Recommended for those who enjoy these kinds of creature features, arachnophobiacs, fans of the cast or 70s horror in general, while those who aren't won't be too objected to it.Rated PG: Violence and Language

preppy-3 In a remote Arizona town animals are dying mysteriously or disappearing all together. The town doctor (William Shatner) and an entomologist (Tiffany Bolling) discover spiders are attacking and killing animals...and people might be next. But why and how? The answer is pretty silly but i won't give it away.This has been WAY overpraised by some horror fans. I hate spiders myself but this film didn't really work on me till the last half hour. The first hour has only one attack and is mostly talk and character development. What saves it from being very dull is that the dialogue isn't half bad, the characters ARE interesting and the acting is very good (Shatner and Bolling are excellent). The attacks kick in during the last half hour--THEN the movie works. They are quick and scary and these spiders appear everywhere! The sequence where the town is attacked is improbable (HOW did all those spiders get on people?) but has some really disturbing sequences of spiders crawling over dead people and spinning webs. The ending is chilling at first...but when you apply logic to any of this it falls apart.OK--the spiders are attacking and are very aggressive but they also seem to be super intelligent and figure out where humans will be. They also appear in places that it would be impossible for them to be and seriously--think about that ending. Do YOU believe it? If you're terrified of spiders this will work but this is nothing more than a well-done B film. I give it a 7.

microfame This film DID satisfy my current nostalgic craving for all things 70's, a decade when I, as a 2 to 12 year old, devoured TV-movies like this and "Ants" with abandon. Two things I feel compelled to mention...1) I love Shatner as Captain Kirk. Huge fan of Trek. But here, he comes off kind of oily and lecherous when he pours on the charm......odd. 2) I'm not a PETA activist, but I was really struck by how many spiders were stomped, run over, burned, boiled and mangled in this film. I'm sure, in the 70's, this would not have stood out to anyone, but in this age of special effects, where they'll show you in the extra features how they make a fake tarantula, and what brand tarter sauce they put in it for an effective "squishing" scene, it really jumped out at me. I felt kind of bad, to be honest....MANY spiders were hurt in the making of this film!Otherwise, a very good 70's "creature" film, best watched alongside "Day of the Animals" or "Frogs", for a fine double-feature.