In "LITTLE BITES" (2024), Parenting Can Suck The Life Outta You (REVIEW)

Parenthood can be a scary thing, especially for a mother. She gives up her body to nurture, she feeds the child before she has her next meal, and she will do anything to protect her young, even if it means sacrificing her own needs. In Spider One’s “Little Bites,” the story explores this in a frighteningly heightened metaphor that is dark, creepy, and tense.

The film follows Mindy (Krsy Fox), a single mother to ten-year-old Alice (Elizabeth Phoenix Carlo), who sacrifices her body to a flesh-eating monster named Agyar living in her house. To protect her daughter from the creature, she agrees to allow him to slowly eat her alive. On top of this turmoil, she is forced to lie to her family and friends when she sends her daughter away for a few weeks to keep her out of harm’s way.

Unlike your typical slasher and monster flicks with jump scares, this plot smolders, taking its time in the shadows. Krsy Fox is perfection, immersing herself in a character who explains so much with little dialogue. Throughout the film, you can feel her pain and loneliness, which she wears on her face, much like the scars that develop all over her body. Jon Sklaroff as the monster Agyar is mesmerizing, both curious and terrifying. He has a controlling presence, literally treating his victim like a piece of meat as he breaks her down, both physically and mentally. He is very much a monster, but he has an intelligence to him, which somehow makes him more frightening, as he holds back what he is actually capable of.

Set in the 1970’s, the home fit the vibe. All wood, and barely any color or cheer, it represents a prison as opposed to a home. The agreement between Mindy and her demon feels much like a domestic abuse situation, which hangs heavy as the story plays out. The audience will most likely remember a song Agyar decides to sing to Mindy, which is creepy and torturous to listen to while Mindy does everything within her power to not break down in front of him.

The story does mess with emotions quite a bit, testing what the audience may be seeing as opposed to what is in front of them. Spider One has stated in interviews that the film is a representation of parenthood and how frightening it can be, which does come through. The story sits in the horror genre for sure, but it’s more of a suspense film with underlying storytelling, which seeps through in brilliant fashion. If you are the type of viewer who needs all details explained, you may be left disappointed, as some details regarding the characters are left to the imagination, and the ending is a bit unpredictable but abrupt. Regardless, the whole package is worth your time.

This is Spider One’s third film, the first with a bigger budget, which was produced by Cher and her son Chaz Bono, who also plays a supporting role. There are other familiar faces as well, including Heather Langenkamp, Barbara Crampton, and Bonnie Aarons. Spider One has certainly proved that he can pull off an interesting and unique original film, and it will be fun to see what else he has up his sleeve.

Director/Writer: Spider One

Starring: Krsy Fox, Jon Sklaroff

Where to Watch: “Little Bites” was in theaters on October 4, 2024, and will be released on SHUDDER in the future. It is currently available for rent on Amazon Prime, Fandango at Home, and Apple TV

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