Horror Movie Review: Infested (2023)

Infested can be summed up as Arachnophobia on steroids, wearing a beret (because it’s a French film), and with socio-political commentary running through it. It might be a spider-based horror flick, but there’s a fair bit more going on under the surface.

Although many may not notice as they’re too busy hiding in fear of the creepy-crawlies that make up a lot of this film. Be warned, if you can’t stand the sight of spiders (even CGI ones), then you’re not going to be able to watch this film as it is seriously full on.

Which does make for a high-powered roller-coaster of an experience. Infested will make you tense and uncomfortable to begin with, then get your heart racing in ways that almost feel primordial.

Directed by Sébastien Vanicek, who co-wrote it with Florent Bernard, Infested stars Théo Christine as Kaleb. A young man living in a rundown apartment block with his sister, Manon (Lisa Nyarko). They are at loggerheads, with him angry at her attempts to refurbish the apartment that belonged to their late mother, and her frustrated at his lack of action in life. Selling dodgy trainers on the black market and collecting rare bugs and creatures in his room.

Which is the set-up for Kaleb to get his hands on a deadly and rare spider, one that gets free and reveals its party trick, an ability to reproduce at a startling rate. It doesn’t take long at all for the apartment block to be overrun by the eight-legged creeps. Which leaves Kaleb, Manon, and their friends Mathys (Jérôme Niel), Jordy (Finnegan Oldfield) and Lila (Sofia Lesaffre) fighting for their lives to find a way out.

Yes, Infested’s set-up is unusual, but it just about works thanks to the dark comedic edge the film has and a set of characters that are surprisingly deep. As the film goes on, and reasons for certain odd things and behaviours are revealed, you can’t help but just nod along in agreement. Sure, it’s silly, but it works and importantly, it entertains.

Which is the summation of Infested completely, it is an entertaining film that moves at a frantic pace and constantly finds ways to up the ante. Yet, as fun as all the spider mayhem can be, what gives the film its extra edge is how easily and cleverly it switches the tone. This apartment block’s sense of community means later, there’s real emotion behind certain events. The work put into characters makes their plight matter, the commentary is on the nose, but it never has to hit you over the head, and importantly, it has moments that will make you laugh.

Something most will be glad of because Infested can be really harrowing. While most of the spider-based antics is CGI, it’s good-looking CGI, so expect to feel a shiver when you see them here.

All reasons to praise this film, but it’s not flawless, with one of the most obvious flaws being that it just goes on a little too long. With around ten minutes left, there’s a really solid ending, but it chooses to go on a little further and that results in a lazy fake out ending that fails to have much impact.

Then, as much as the characters are enjoyable, they are so stupid at times. Chances are, you’ll also be screaming at them to stop sticking their faces in holes or failing to notice the mass of web everywhere.

Some of the issues are nit-picking, which when you consider this is a modern spider horror, speaks volumes about the film’s overall quality. It’s well worth a watch, provided you’re not scared of spiders.