Perhaps it’s the fiftieth anniversary of Jaws, perhaps the recent brilliance of Dangerous Animals, or perhaps it’s just because my bloody Maine Coon will not stop getting bigger – but I have been particularly enamoured with the creature feature of late, and I am about to make that your problem in every way I am able.
A creature feature, of course, is a movie that is legally prohibited from using anything other than a one word title, apparently finds its main antagonist in something non-human that slithers, scuttles, or otherwise verbs all over the place to cause chaos. Whether animals of our plane of existence, something entirely supernatural, or some combination of the above, there’s an alchemy to a monster movie that’s matched by little else – so I’d like to share with you some of my favourite recent entries into the canon, in the hopes you might return the favour and do the same in the comments. To the list!
Crawl
Alexandre Aja, the man behind the legendary French classic Haute Tension, turns his attention to something decidedly less human in his 2019 creature feature Crawl – namely, alligators, to be specific. This claustrophobic and surprisingly intense thriller follows Haley (the ever-brilliant and underrated Kaya Scodelario, who has long-since proved her post-Skins acting ability) as she battles off alligators in the flooded home of her estranged father during a hurricane. It’s got just the right mix of problem-solving action setpieces and slow, tense build-up (some might even say…Haute Tension) to make the lean premise last. Not to mention the fact there’s a cute dog at the heart of this story. What more could you want?
Sting
Sting just barely missed out on a top slot for our best of the year in 2024, and it has firmly earned its place on this list as one of the best creature features of the 2020s. I’ll cut to the chase: it’s a giant alien spider facing off against a single unfortunate apartment block, and it’s exactly as creepy, gnarly, and batshit as it sounds. Underpinned by the excellent chemistry between lead Alyla Browne as Charlotte and her stepdad (Ryan Corr), it sprinkles in a healthy dose of family drama and unique dynamics that offers something a little more expansive than the eight-legged freaks of the title. Arachnophobes, consider this one your ultimate gauntlet.
Unwelcome
Goblins! And no, I’m not just talking about Casper, for a change. Jon Wright’s weird Irish horror is a surprisingly twisted look into the folklore of the region that young couple Maya and Jamie find themselves relocated to after a personal trauma leaves them on the edge. I love any story that exploits the nastiness that characterizes so much of classic folklore and fairytales, and Wright does a great job imbuing the villainous Red Caps with a sense of genuine menace, even if they do look more like something I might put on my shelf during the Christmas season.
Over to you! What creature features have squarely slithered under your skin? Let us know in the comments!
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By Lou MacGregor
(header image via The Movie Blog)
No But Listen 