Sting (film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Founder | Kiah Roache-Turner |
| Products | Horror film |
Sting is a 2024 horror film both written and directed by Kiah Roache-Turner, featuring performances from Ryan Corr, Alyla Browne, Penelope Mitchell, among others. The narrative follows a young girl who secretly nurtures a spider that eventually becomes a monstrous giant.
The movie premiered in the United States and Canada on April 12, 2024.
Plot
Set in New York City, 12-year-old Charlotte lives with her busy stepfather Ethan, her mother Heather, and infant brother Liam. Often left to her own devices, Charlotte encounters a small spider that hatches from a luminous object crashing into her great-aunt’s apartment. She names the creature Sting and decides to keep it as a pet.
As Sting rapidly increases in size, Charlotte conceals its growth. Unusual incidents around their building attract the attention of Ethan and nearby residents. Sting’s growing hunger results in the deaths of pets and some occupants, heightening strain within Charlotte’s household. During a tense encounter, Sting assaults both of Charlotte’s parents while she watches.
Now enormous, Sting traps several residents inside the building. Remembering that Sting dislikes mothballs, Charlotte uses this insight to search for her missing family members. Confronting Sting’s cunning and adaptability, Charlotte and Ethan face off against the spider in the basement trash compactor.
Together, they manage to lure Sting into a trap and eliminate it by activating the compactor. Although the family survives the ordeal, they remain unaware that Sting has laid eggs—one of which begins to hatch.
Production
Principal photography was conducted in Australia and wrapped up by February 2023.
Release
Sting debuted on April 12, 2024, in the United States through Well Go USA Entertainment. It later saw releases in New Zealand on May 16, the United Kingdom on May 31, Germany on June 20, and Australia on July 18.
Box office
During its opening weekend across 975 theaters in North America, Sting generated $825,797. By October 19, 2024, its global box office total reached $2,474,742, with almost half stemming from North American markets and $1,350,232 from international territories.
Critical response
The film holds a 70% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and scores 57 on Metacritic. Meagan Navarro of Bloody Disgusting awarded it 3 out of 5 stars, commending Browne’s acting and the use of practical effects. Bill Goodykoontz from The Arizona Republic also rated it 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as a competent yet unremarkable creature feature that weakens when focusing on family drama.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety referred to it as "a cheeseball trifle" combining aspects of Alien and The Shining, while recognizing its self-aware tone. David Ehrlich at IndieWire assigned a C grade, noting its contained style but critiquing its limited emotional resonance. Simon Abrams from RogerEbert.com gave it 2 out of 4 stars, suggesting that the film’s cinephilic elements fail to deliver effective suspense or adventure storytelling.