INFESTED (2023)

Infested is not only a solid creature feature, but it also does a noteworthy job realizing a unique mixture of residents and relationships within a Parisian lower-income suburban high rise, all while they fend off thousands of ever adapting poisonous spiders AND the police who’ve quarantined them. Similar to the Rec franchise (2007-2014), with a heavy dose of Attack the Block (2011), we feel this icky, claustrophobic film, which is arguably the best spider horror film to date. Alien (1979) is heavily homaged, from the atmosphere to the obvious parallel between face huggers and the ravening spiders. Needless to say there are some plausibility issues, such as the rate of mutation and growth, but it’s a killer spider movie, one knows (or should know) it’s meant to be wild, with a little commentary spun in. The COVID-19 pandemic obviously shaped this film and taps into our fresh collective fears of isolation. The cast is solid throughout, and just like real life, all are flawed and the deaths are truly indiscriminate and devoid of moral commentary. 

WATCH OR NOT: WATCH

Additional musings: I feel as though a point is being made on the French classes and culture. The residents are scrambling to make ends meet, with side hustles, bartering and backroom sales; and like the spiders, they are merely adapting in order to survive. Both are trapped and squashed with middling respect.