Overview
A small town faces a terrifying threat from the jungle as deadly spiders invade their homes.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- witty
- playful
- suspenseful
- halloween movie night
- creature feature marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a well-made, affectionate creature-feature tribute that delivers enjoyable comic suspense more reliably than genuine terror.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film frames its spider invasion as a polished, humorous tribute to classic creature features and B-movie thrills.
The imported South American spider mates with a local spider and produces deadly offspring that threaten an entire California town.
Spiders appear in homes and everyday town spaces, turning ordinary locations into sources of surprise and danger.
Doctors Ross Jennings and James Atherton work with exterminator Delbert McClintock to identify and annihilate the spider offspring.
Films like Arachnophobia, and why
Tremors
Shares comic horror, small-town creature attacks, classic monster-movie conventions, and an entertaining balance of suspense and humor.
Gremlins
Combines horror and comedy with an invasive animal threat, escalating creature attacks, and playful affection for B-movie traditions.
Eight Legged Freaks
Features a suburban or small-town community confronting a deadly creature outbreak through suspenseful, accessible genre filmmaking.
Movie Details
- Director
- Frank Marshall
- Release Date
- 1990-07-20
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (1585)
Cast
- Jeff Daniels
- Harley Jane Kozak
- John Goodman
- Julian Sands
- Brian McNamara
- Stuart Pankin
- Henry Jones
- Peter Jason
- Mark L. Taylor
- James Handy
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Arachnophobia about?
- A small California town battles a multiplying spider invasion in a slick, comic creature-feature thriller.
- What is Arachnophobia like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Arachnophobia as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Arachnophobia violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Arachnophobia as moderate.
- What did critics think of Arachnophobia?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a well-made, affectionate creature-feature tribute that delivers enjoyable comic suspense more reliably than genuine terror.
- Which films are like Arachnophobia?
- Films with a similar feel include Tremors, Gremlins, and Eight Legged Freaks.
- How long is Arachnophobia?
- Arachnophobia runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Arachnophobia?
- In United States, Arachnophobia is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
