Roger Corman is basically the king of the "so bad it's good" movie world. If you grew up watching late-night cable or scouring the bargain bins at Blockbuster, you’ve likely seen his DNA everywhere. But things got weirdly specific in 2012 when he produced a spiritual successor to his own 1958 cult classic. That’s how we ended up with Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader. It wasn't just a movie; it was a 3D spectacle that premiered at San Diego Comic-Con, trying to capture that elusive lightning in a bottle where campy horror meets modern digital effects.
People usually write these movies off. They see a title like that and assume it’s just trash. Honestly, they aren't entirely wrong, but there is a specific craft to making "elevated B-movies" that most directors miss. Kevin O'Neill, who directed this one, came from a visual effects background. He worked on things like Piranha 3DD and Dracula II: Ascension. He knew exactly what he was doing. He wasn't trying to win an Oscar. He was trying to make a movie about a giant girl in a skirt stepping on things.
The plot is about as straightforward as a ruler. Cassie Stratton, played by Jena Sims, is a biology student who wants to make the cheer squad. She’s "plain"—which in movie terms means she’s a literal Miss Georgia Teen USA winner wearing glasses—and she takes an experimental growth hormone to get an edge. Things go sideways. She grows. Drama ensues.
Why the 3D Gimmick Actually Mattered
In 2012, 3D was the biggest trend in Hollywood. Everyone was trying to be Avatar. Corman, being the savvy businessman he is, realized he could sell a low-budget movie much better if it had that "extra dimension." Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader was filmed specifically with 3D in mind. This wasn't a post-production conversion. They used 3D rigs. They threw things at the camera. They leaned into the depth.
Most people don't realize that Corman’s company, New Horizons, was actually quite experimental with tech. They used the movie to test how cheap they could make digital effects look "passable" for a TV audience. It aired on Epix. It was their first original scripted feature. Think about that for a second. Out of all the high-brow concepts they could have picked to launch their original programming, they chose a giant cheerleader. It’s brilliant in its own absurd way.
The visual effects are... well, they're digital. Unlike the 1958 Attack of the 50 Foot Woman, which used forced perspective and simple double exposures, the 2012 film relies heavily on green screens. You can tell. It doesn't have the "weight" of the old-school practical effects, but Kevin O'Neill uses his VFX experience to make sure the scaling stays relatively consistent. It’s a common pitfall in kaiju or giant-human movies for the character to change size every shot. Here, they mostly keep her at the 50-foot mark.
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The Cast: More Than Just "Scream Queens"
Jena Sims is the heart of the movie. You might know her now as a major fashion influencer or for her marriage to golfer Brooks Koepka, but back then, she was grinding in the B-movie circuit. She brings a weirdly earnest energy to Cassie. She plays it straight. That's the secret to camp. If the actor winks at the camera, the joke is dead. Sims plays the heartbreak of being a giant freak with total sincerity.
Then you have the supporting cast.
Sean Young is in this. Yes, that Sean Young from Blade Runner. She plays the mom. It’s one of those "how did they get her?" moments that happens often in Corman productions. She’s joined by Treat Williams and even a cameo by Roger Corman himself. Seeing these veterans interact with a script that includes lines about "experimental isotopes" and "pom-poms" is half the fun.
The antagonist, Brittany, played by Olivia Alexander, is the peak 2010s "mean girl" archetype. She’s over the top. She’s loud. She also contributed to the soundtrack. It’s a multi-talented effort for a movie that most people watched while folding laundry.
Breaking Down the Satire
Is it a feminist masterpiece? Probably not. But Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader does poke fun at the intense pressure of college social hierarchies. The Greek life, the obsession with physical perfection, the cutthroat nature of competitive cheerleading—it’s all there.
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Cassie doesn't want to be a giant. She just wants to fit in. The irony is that by taking the serum to become "better," she becomes so large that she can never fit in again. It's a classic Icarus story, just with more spandex. The movie satirizes the "win at all costs" mentality of American youth culture. When Cassie is giant, the school still wants her to cheer. They don't care that she’s a biological anomaly; they care that she can help them win a national title.
Critics at the time were surprisingly soft on it. The Hollywood Reporter basically called it exactly what it was: a fun, harmless throwback. It didn't try to be The Hunger Games. It didn't try to be Twilight. It was just a movie about a girl who got big.
The Legacy of the 50-Foot Trope
The "Giant Woman" trope is a staple of sci-fi. It started with Attack of the 50 Foot Woman in 1958, starring Allison Hayes. That movie was a metaphor for female rage in a repressive decade. The 2012 version is more about the vapidness of the social media age—even though it was just on the cusp of that era.
There is a strange comfort in these films. They represent a type of filmmaking that is dying out. Today, everything is a $200 million franchise or a micro-budget indie. The "middle" movie—the $2 million to $5 million creature feature—is mostly gone or relegated to the Syfy channel. Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader represents one of the last gasps of the physical media era B-movie.
It also has a killer soundtrack. Honestly. Olivia Alexander’s tracks like "Attack Attack" are catchy in a way that shouldn't be allowed for a movie about growth hormones.
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What You Should Know Before Watching
If you're going to dive into this, you need to set your expectations. Don't look for logic. Don't look for high-end CGI that rivals Marvel.
- The Tone: It’s a comedy first, a sci-fi movie second.
- The Effects: They are dated. It looks like a high-end Playstation 3 game in some scenes.
- The Runtime: It’s lean. About 80 minutes. It doesn't overstay its welcome.
The movie is currently available on various streaming platforms like Tubi or Pluto TV. It’s perfect for a "bad movie night." If you're a fan of Sharknado or 8 Legged Freaks, this is right in your wheelhouse.
How to Appreciate Cult Cinema Like This
To truly get what Attack of the 50 Foot Cheerleader is doing, you have to look at the history of Roger Corman. He’s the man who gave Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese their first jobs. He knows the business of movies. This film was a calculated move to capitalize on the 3D craze and the nostalgia for 50s drive-in cinema.
It’s easy to mock, but it’s harder to actually make a movie that people are still talking about 14 years later. Most big-budget blockbusters from 2012 are completely forgotten. Yet, the imagery of Jena Sims towering over a football stadium remains a weirdly iconic piece of modern camp.
Final Takeaways for Fans
If you want to explore this genre further, don't stop here. Check out the 1958 original to see the difference in tone. Watch the 1993 remake starring Daryl Hannah, which takes a much more serious, almost somber approach to the material.
The 2012 version is the "party" version of the story. It’s bright, it’s loud, and it’s unapologetically silly. In a world of gritty reboots and dark cinematic universes, there’s something refreshing about a movie that knows exactly what it is and doesn't apologize for it.
Next Steps for the Curious Viewer:
- Compare the eras: Watch the first 10 minutes of the 1958 version and then the 2012 version. The shift from "nuclear anxiety" to "cosmetic anxiety" is fascinating.
- Check the credits: Look up the names in the crew. You'll find a lot of people who went on to work on massive HBO shows and Marvel movies. This was their training ground.
- Find the 3D version: If you still have a 3D-capable TV or a VR headset, try to find the original 3D cut. The movie was literally designed for it, and the experience is much better when the "gags" actually pop off the screen.