Welcome to the wonderful world of movies about ants! In this list we’ll be going over every movie released so far. A part of the natural horror, they are an important part of movie history. Actually, a movie about giant ants Them!, released in 1954 is one of the first movies to feature giant bugs killing humans. It also features another very important element: nuclear power. After WWII, humanity had to come to terms with the unbelievable power that nuclear bombs and energy had along with the threat of nuclear war. Movies about giant bugs and all sorts of other creatures helped to channel these emotions as the public could see government officials dealing with the problems in an efficient manner.
If you exclude giant, mutated ants, just from a technical standpoint, it’s a difficult task to create a horror movie about ants. They are so small and without any weapons that some of these movies look downright ridiculous. However, this doesn’t mean that ants aren’t fascinating insects. An ant can lift 20 times its own weight and the bullet ant has the most painful sting in the world! They rarely kill humans, although it is estimated that it would take just around 150 stings to kill an adult human. They are social insects, living in colonies with very strict matriarchal structure. The largest colony of ants stretches for over 6000 kilometers (3700 miles) and it’s located in Europe. It is speculated that this colony could even spread under the ocean.
Honorable Mentions
In this section, we will be going over three computer-animated movies about ants and one blast from the bast. It seemed really odd to include them in the main section and yet they are clearly a part of the genre. Plus they explain the dynamic within the ant nest very competently, although I am sure you have watched documentaries that go into even more details about this.
Antz [1998]
For a completely CGI movie made back in 1998, Antz looks stunningly good. I mean, it clearly stood the test of time and even now, 22 years later, can be a lot of fun. A couple of months later, another movie with bugs was released, A Bugs Life and it caused all sorts of problems. The thing I mentioned about the way ant colony works is best showcased here. We have a rebellious ant who wants to break out of the totalitarian society that he lives in. Boy, tell me about it. Antz also started this trend of computer-animated movies that appeal both to children and adults. There’s swearing, violence, death, alcohol and many other elements that you wouldn’t find in your average animated movie. With a lot of great jokes and a fast pace, it will be over in no time.
The cast features some of the biggest names in Hollywood and this added a lot of authenticity and credibility to the movie. I mean, Z, our hero is voiced by Woody Allen and the rest of the cast includes Dan Aykroyd, Gene Hackman, Jennifer Lopez, Sylvester Stallone, Sharon Stone and Christopher motherfucking Walken. Antz is a movie that makes you think and the one I hope you will come back to in the following years. The subjects it explores are very current and important to humanity. It would seem that some people would love it if they lived in an ant society where everything is predetermined and ordered. Think about that.
The Ant Bully [2006]
Unlike our previous entry, The Ant Bully is your standard-issue CGI movie for kids. Although it also deals with some serious issues like bullying, it takes a more children-oriented route in doing so. This can be annoying at times as you can see what they were going for. I’m sure that five-year-olds would find it hilarious or scary, but when you’re older you just want some quality content. It’s based on the 1999 children’s book of the same name by John Nickle.
Lucas is a young boy who’s getting constantly bullied so he takes it out on an unsuspecting ant colony. However, ants decide to find back and they shrink Lucas so he can see what it’s like to be so small and helpless. Oddly enough we have two movies with bullying on this list. And they couldn’t be more different. The Ant Bully looks much, much better than Antz, after all, eight years is a lot of time in terms of advances in CGI. The colors are vibrant and the characters cute, so if you’re in a mood for a carefree movie about ants check it out.
Minuscule: Valley of the Lost Ants [2013]
Visually stunning and with an interesting story, Valley of the Lost Ants is a strange movie. Strange in the best sense of the word. It’s very different from every other movie on this list and it provides a much-needed refreshment if you’re tired of standard-issue movies about ants. It follows a ladybug who accidentally found herself in the middle of the war between the red and black ants. Fiercely territorial and often caught up in wars, ants are represented accurately here. Although towards the end I think you will figure out what events couldn’t have happened.
The combination of live-action shots with CGI gives the movie a very appealing visual style. It also creates this surreal atmosphere that’s very French in nature. You can’t help but feel you’re watching a work of art. There’s no dialogue, just vibes as we follow the adventures in this miniature world that we’re unaware of for the most time. If you like watching nature documentaries, you’ll be in for a treat. And the insects are so cute with big eyes and funny movements that you can’t help but fall in love with this movie. Creative and engaging it’s one of those movies you won’t forget.
Matinee [1993]
This is one of those heartwarming movies of the nineties that I simply loved watching when I was a kid. Joe Dante, a legend behind such cult classics as Gremlins, The Howling and Innerspace, tried to recreate the atmosphere of the fifties through the lens of the big bug movies. The story is set during the Cuban missile crisis, as a new movie titled Mant is about to hit the local theater in Key West, Florida. It’s about a mutated half-man half-ant creature and the promo promises that this is going to be one hell of a movie. And young Gene and Dennis are determined to see it… Doubling as a coming-of-age movie, Matinee is an underrated gem that stayed off the radar for so long I’m started wondering if I’m the only one who really likes it?
Starring John Goodman in the iconic role of Lawrence Woolsey, a chubby producer with a huge cigar always in his mouth, the cast did an amazing job. These young actors were really believable and their performances engaging. Matinee is also an excellent period movie transporting you into a very tumultuous sixties. A different time, especially for movies. A time where gimmicks that the likes of William Castle employed played a big part in the promotion of a movie. And exactly this focus on the movies, B monster movies of the fifties to be more precise enables you to see what was so appealing about them. It also captures that first fascination with movies that you usually get in your teens. I still consider it one of my favorite movies.
Best Movies about Ants
From airplanes, sugar factories, sewers, and research facilities, ants have found their way to almost every place and killed without mercy. I think that this is the only animal attack movie series where you have to make a leap of faith in almost every movie. This makes them even more magical and appealing. Also, movies about ants have very diverse plots from ants becoming mutated to ants becoming conscious and building computers! So, without further ado, let’s jump in!
14. Antfarm Dickhole [2011]
Yes, this is a real movie and yes, it’s titled Antfarm Dickhole. The only reason why it’s ranked last is that I understand it might not be everybody’s cup of tea. With a lot of nudity (full-frontal), metal music, cheap and shlocky practical effects, and an insane story it’s one of the strangest movies I have ever seen. Also one of my new favorites, mostly because it ticked off a lot of things I personally like. So, what’s this movie about?
It’s a simple story about a man constantly getting bullied until he gets infected with killer ants. Now the way these ants make their way into the world is the reason behind the title Antfarm Dickhole. Hellbent on revenge, not so leather, our hero Ant-Drew decides to shoot his enemies with his deadly ants. Creative and entertaining, it’s a fun ride that you will recommend to your friends. I mean it starts off with a profound discussion about masturbation and how our friend is having premature ejaculation issues. When jerking off.
The dialogue is surprisingly good with great jokes and some really profound insights. I especially liked Ant-Thony’s rant about why this girl likes him and why she wouldn’t like him if he was arrested. Antfarm Dickhole was made on a $2200 budget by Bill Zebub (get it?), a very prolific director, producer, and writer. It would appear that we share a lot of similar views, especially when it comes to religion and science.
I mean, when the camera panned to show a girl in a swimming suit reading Richard Dawkins’ book The God Delusion I couldn’t believe it! I felt the same way when My Dying Brides’ The Night He Died started blasting during one sex scene. This was no surprise as our Billy boy was wearing a lot of metal t-shirts. Compared to the next entry on this list, a similarly looking movie, Antfarm Dickhole is infinitely more likable and charming. If you would like to buy it check out this link.
13. Invicta [2009]
Sometimes these movies work and sometimes they don’t. In this case, I think that the truth is somewhere in the middle. Again, depending on your mood, experience, and many other factors you might find Invicta to be a fun movie. Especially if you haven’t seen any of the z-grade movies with low production values. They have a certain charm and honesty about them. A dose of authenticity if you will. You know that most of the actors were working for free or a really small fee and that the entire movie was willed into existence by a crew that really wanted to make it.
We follow a couple who moved to Texas only to get involved with a crazy scientist and his killer ants. They are also having some marital issues as Evan wants to have a baby and his wife seems a bit reluctant. Additional problems arise when he meets a sexy myrmecologist. And if you’re wondering what the fuck is a myrmecologist it’s a person who studies ants. The whole movie looks like it’s going to turn into porn any minute but it never does.
That would be a welcome development as we’re forced to watch some pretty boring sections of the movie. I mean you’re hoping that the next scene is the one where someone dies or something horrible happens. As you would expect both special and practical effects are pretty bad along with everything else. Granted, framing and editing were relatively competent and our main stars were quite decent. I especially liked our main guy who has such an expressive face that I’m wondering why he isn’t in more movies.
12. It Happened at Lakewood Manor [1977]
Also known as Ants and Panic at Lakewood Manor, this is a made-for-television movie about ants attacking a remote hotel. It has a certain charm of a small seventies movie. And the story is crazy enough with hilarious scenes of ants killing cooks and construction workers. It’s pretty predictable, in terms that you already know who’s gonna die and when. There are also some hilarious scenes like a kid playing in a dumpster infested with ants and then jumping into the pool to everyone’s horror.
Just your average afternoon in the seventies. And speaking of them, I think that this was good enough for that time but some forty years later it’s pretty outdated and tedious. There are so many movies, television shows, and content in general that you don’t really have to watch this type of movie. Unless you really want to. There are so many archetypal characters from sleazy executives to honest and gruff workers that you can also get a sense of what the seventies were really like.
At least in the eyes of the writers of this movie. Lakewood Manor is a new resort being built near a Lakewood Hotel. Everything was going well until some of the construction workers found an anthill and ended up dead. I know how this story sounds and the finale is even crazier than this. Played as straight as this type of movie can be played, Ants is just one step away from a movie so bad it’s good. However, if you want to see some cheesy seventies television fun you might wanna check it out.
11. Destination: Infestation [2007]
Also titled Ants on the Plane and Swarm, you know what you can expect from this movie. Starring Antonio Sabato Jr. who already fought with sharks (Shark Hunter) and prehistoric bugs (Bugs), it’s a clear rip-off of an infinitely more entertaining Snakes on a Plane movie. From the opening scene where a guy is fixing his car with a huge wrench like a normal person to the last scene where ants are eating people on the airplane, you will have something to laugh about. With ample time to do house chores, re-up, check social media, or anything else you need to do.
Onboard a plane returning from Colombia to Miami there’s a stowaway. Mutated bullet ants, with a sting that could kill a person, are now freely exploring the plane, eating through the wires, and attacking passengers. A rugged Air Marshall and an entomologist find themselves in the middle of this mess having to work together to save the plane from crashing. My only regret is that they didn’t work cocaine somehow into the story. After all, they were coming back from Colombia.
When you think about it, the premise of this movie sounds really realistic. I mean if your pet can chew through your cables at home why ants wouldn’t chew through the wires and critical systems that help the plane stay in the air. If they really scienced this out, Ants on the Plane could be a phenomenal cult classic. They didn’t and what’s done is done. This is a television movie with a silly script that’s again pandering towards the way things “used to be”.
I mean, Sabato set the new record for staying single after the death of a spouse with his five years. Winslow’s previous record of three years in Fangs, a movie about killer bats is now a thing of the past. There’s some decent real ant footage and the rest is mediocre crap. It’s like a Mayday: Air Disasters episode with a twist. The dialogue has lines like What Mr. Hardy knows about fixing the fuel lines? Nothing, but he’s the best we got. I also loved how they didn’t care about the obnoxious college kid. Like fuck him, let him get eaten by ants, he was an asshole anyway.
10. Glass Trap [2005]
If you thought that Ants on the Plane were a bad movie, oh boy, have I got a surprise for you! Directed by Fred Olen Ray, who made over 150 sleazy B movies like Evil Toons and Super Shark, Glass Trap is a movie so bad it’s good. After they hide in a landscaping truck, giant ants sneak into a huge skyscraper and start killing people. That’s it, folks. Now, I have to warn you that this is a really bad movie. I mean the jokes are so off the mark that they end up in a parallel universe which somehow makes them work.
The CGI is just horrible and the practical effects even worse. They clearly knew what they were doing so at least the acting is appropriate.We get C. Thomas Howell, fresh off fighting a bee invasion in Killer Bees, as spunky janitor ready to fight giant ants. As soon as he wakes up from being knocked out by a wooden duck. Yes, this is all for real and played strayed. Martin Kove, that guy from Karate Kid, is also here, fresh from fighting crocodiles in Crocodile 2: Death Swamp.
And with this duo, our poor ants don’t stand a chance. You know, sometimes you just need to watch a couple of silly movies about ants to get into the right mood. I mean if people only knew that by playing generic metal music on an Aiwa radio you can scare away giant ants. But some things you don’t know until you try them. Also, these ants appear to be weaker than the rest of the mutated ants because they can’t break into cars. Too bad. Glass Trap is surprisingly fast-paced and you will not run out of crazy scenes to trash or dialogue to laugh to. In the end, it’s a fun throwback to all the B monster movies of the fifties and sixties.
9. Legion of Fire: Killer Ants! [1998]
We are continuing our list of movies about ants with a third movie so bad that it’s good on this list. At this point, I should probably recommend that you mix things up and do not watch these movies in order. Otherwise, prepare to suffer brain damage. Also known as Marabunta, a name that you will be hearing a lot in movies about ants. Scary sounding, it’s just another name for your common army ant. Right from the opening scene where a husband tells his wife you will be rewarded you know you’re in for quite a ride.
Same as that wife that moments later slid down a giant ant nest. These scenes are so comical as the actors are trying to bring just a smidgen of realism into a clearly insane setup. Like firing guns into anthills. Killer Ants! reminded me of another movie featuring killer animals and that’s Deadly Invasion: The Killer Bee Nightmare from 1995. Movies even start with the same opening shot saying that this could really happen.
Starring none other than Mitch Pileggi also known as Walter Skinner from The X Files, this movie has one hell of a cast. Every type of bad acting from wooden to over-acting is present here. Not that they had something to work with. I mean, the dialogue is so over-the-top bad with forced funny comebacks like I never met a bug I didn’t like or open up my valve.
Also, I am not certain, but I think they refer to big balls as burly pines. See what I mean! The characters are one dimensional and usually there just for our ants to make some kind of progress. I found the screaming kid especially annoying. The music is a midi-nightmare that will bore into your skull and the sound effects are even worse. I simply love this movie! And don’t get me started on the special and practical effects. Like the helicopter scene that looks like they went out of their way to make it look fake. Scene after scene you will be surprised at just how bad this movie can get. It’s truly a gift that keeps on giving.
8. The Hive [2008]
We are finishing our series of movies about ants that are so bad they’re actually good with a bang! Very creative and with a plot that’s totally different than anything you’ll see on this list, The Hive is a fun movie to watch. The only movie that comes close is a much better seventies classic Phase IV. Still, it’s a pretty silly flick. I mean the ants eat a baby in the first scene making one hell of an intro! Shot in Thailand with its lush vegetation and beautiful landscapes the movie is a true eye-candy. At least when it comes locations. The CGI is atrociously bad but that’s just a part of The Hive’s charm.
It’s reminiscent of those old-school B science fiction movies. It has a really good story, pacing, and characters. And what more to want from a movie about ants? To give you some idea of just how innovative it really is half-way trough I had to check whether Denis Villeneuve’s 2016 movie The Arrival stole some concepts from this work of art! After a meteor hits a small region of Krabi, Thailand, the local ant population starts acting strangely. They seem to be multiplying and working at unprecedented levels. It doesn’t take long before they attack the local village.
We follow a team of scientists dispatched to deal with the situation. Starring Tom Wopat, best known from The Dukes of Hazard, it’s a perfect mixture of science fiction and action. Like in some video games we follow our heroes as they are shooting their way through increasingly more difficult levels. The whole movie has a Starship Troopers vibe to it and I can only imagine what it would look like if they had a bigger budget at their disposal. Entertaining and unintentionally hilarious at times, The Hive is a great movie for trashing and drinking. Not to mention getting high.
7. The Naked Jungle [1954]
The year 1954 saw the release of two first movies about ants. One went on to become a cult classic and inspired several generations of film-makers. The other one is The Naked Jungle, a strange adventure with ants set in the jungles of South America. It’s based on the 1937 short story “Leiningen Versus the Ants” by Carl Stephenson. If you want to know more about the story and whether it has any basis in reality I recommend you check out this article from AskEntomologists.com.
This is also the first movie where the term Marabunta is uttered. Uttered in fear as these ants are really able to destroy crops and cause minor injuries. We follow Christopher Leiningen, a self-made man who owns a cocoa plantation deep in the jungle. He came to the jungle when he was just 19 years old and now, many years later, is looking to settle down. He arranges a marriage via his brother and anxiously awaits to see his bride for the first time as she’s making the arduous journey down the river.
As we’re following her, we get a real sense of remoteness as we get more and more immersed in the atmosphere. Filmed in Technicolor, The Naked Jungle still looks really good. When you add to that all the extras and sturdy sets, you get a compact little flick. However, what started as a promising adventure soon takes an ugly turn. If you ask me, this movie is a former plantation owner’s dream.
It just screams racism right from the arrival of the Joanna in the jungle as she “adopts” a kid she likes. He ends up working the “air conditioning” as our couple starts to get to know each other. We have servants, references to higher races of Mayans (I guess that makes the rest of the natives’ savages), and many other hints. But I digress. I would like to know what you think about this so feel free to write a comment below. This is basically a romantic comedy with some ant complication towards the end. Starring Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker, it features relatively well-developed characters that fit in so well with my previous claims. Yes, their actions and backgrounds are explained but still…
6. Empire of the Ants [1977]
Extremely loosely based on a short story of the same name written by H. G. Wells, this is an entertaining albeit cheesy seventies animals attack movie. Directed by Bert I. Gordon also known as BIG because of his love for giant animals, it’s pretty entertaining. At least we get a pretty engaging intro with a bunch of diverse characters and an interesting setup. Marilyn Fryser is a sleazy real-estate developer looking to sell plots to unsuspecting suckers. She organizes a tour of the future paradise community in the Florida everglades.
What she didn’t know is that a toxic spill has caused the local ant population to grow to enormous proportions. I just loved the juxtaposition of first showing corporations dumping toxic waste into the ocean and then a sign for a $500 fine for littering. Spot on, spot on my friends. Starring Joan Collins and Robert Lansing, Empire of the Ants has a lot of ant footage. And when I say a lot, I mean like a loooot. As with most Mr. Big’s movies, he did the special effects himself and here we can see them in their full glory. We got close-ups, miniature shots, and finally the giant ants as rubbery as they get.
Joan even complained that they were very uncomfortable to work with. Just another thing to pay attention to because you can clearly see them shoving these things mercilessly into actors without much regard for their comfort. There are a lot of these little things throughout the movie. Like the sped-up footage of the boat leaving at the beginning of the movie. One of the things that I hated is the sound effect used for the ants. It’s so annoying and combined with frantic editing it makes the movie almost unwatchable. Luckily these scenes do not last for long. There are some nice twists towards the end, ultimately making Empire of the Ants an entertaining experience.
5. Dead Ant [2017]
This was the movie I opened my movies about ants journey and I wasn’t disappointed! It’s unabashedly crazy and spoofy with a lot of good jokes. I especially liked the drug use, foul language, and sometimes distasteful gags. In this increasingly commercial world, where movies are trying to cast a really broad net to catch every possible demographic it was really refreshing to see a movie that didn’t care about that. We follow members of a faded glam-metal band Sonic Grave on their way to procure some mushrooms in order to reinvent themselves.
The dealer of these incredibly powerful mushrooms lives in the middle of the desert and you can guess what’s going to happen next. Yes, giant ants! The opening scene for this movie is one of the best ones I have ever seen. After a girl eats a couple of shrooms, in the next scene we see her being chased by a giant ant. She’s wearing only a swimming suit that she proceeds to take off and throw at the hungry ant. It doesn’t get any better than that folks.
Too bad that this is the only nudity in the movie, with director Ron Carlson employing Italian exploitation tricks of enticing viewers at the start. Still, there’s a lot of sexy and scarcely dressed ladies here. Too bad all the guys look pretty shabby. The cast is phenomenal with Tom Arnold and Jake Busey leading the charge. We even have fucking Sam from Lord of the Rings, as Sean Astin is also in Dead Ant.
The special effects were pretty good for a movie of this caliber and we can see some pretty huge ants wreaking havoc on our poor heroes. Another fun aspect of Dead Ant is the whole band thing with the usual jokes about bass players and the rest of the stuff. If you’re a fan of the metal music, I’m sure you’re familiar with these bands that were killing it in the eighties. And I did listen to the entire song called Side Boob during the credits and I’m proud of it. Enjoy.
4. Phase IV [1974]
As we’re nearing the top of our list of movies about ants, you can notice the lack of newer movies. It’s just so sad we lost the ability to think about different situations and contemplate our existence and co-existence with different species. Phase IV is a thought-provoking movie with an eerie atmosphere and a great story. Right from the opening narration and phenomenal visuals, you know this is going to be a great movie. The music, reminiscent of the original Blade Runner added even more authenticity.
This is a story about two scientists confined to their research station in the middle of the Arizona desert as they’re studying ant behavior. After a stellar event, the ants started behaving strangely. A battle between humans and ants ensues. This is the first video material featuring crop circles and it is believed that they became “popular” because it. The exterior locations were shot in Kenya giving off an alien vibe to the movie. The distinct visual style should come as no surprise since this is the only movie that Saul Bass, a famous graphic designer directed.
Slow-burning and engaging, especially if you like movies that take the scientific approach, Phase IV reminded me of Solaris that came out two years earlier. There are no melodramatic scenes and trite conversations. Everything is serious and cold just as it should be when the stakes are this high. This makes the movie very intense as we’re contemplating what would happen if the events in this movie happened in real life. Unlike almost all the movies on this list, the threat of ants never looked so real as it does here. So get ready for a trippy journey with Phase IV!
3. The Bone Snatcher [2003]
Visually stunning and featuring a truly original story, The Bone Snatcher created its own, very memorable universe. Set in the Namibian desert it has some visual similarities with Phase IV. However, this is more of an adventure and survival movie. The beautiful and harsh landscapes of those sand dunes create an unconformable atmosphere full of danger. After a couple of workers started disappearing in the South African mine, a search team is sent to find out what happened.
They are using huge vehicles stocked with supplies and all kinds of survival items. None of them will help them when they finally find what they have been looking for. With a distinct Mad Max vibe, I simply know this movie would blow me away if I saw it when I was younger. I mean, I still loved it, don’t get me wrong. It has a very authentic vibe and is the only movie on this list with a supernatural element. This is also the third animal attack movie that features some sort of native element. We have Aboriginal Dark Age, Native American Nightwing, and South African The Bone Snatcher.
If you’re tired of all those movies about ants featuring similar stories, you will love this one. Mysterious and moody, it borrows elements from many movies to create one hell of a monster. The Thing, Aliens, and the above-mentioned Mad Max are all obvious influences. The harsh setting of an unforgiving desert and unseen threat that just doesn’t make any sense generate a lot of tension.
We will also see some pretty good gore along with decent special effects. The only problem is the wobbly finale that could have been better. Also, if you’re looking for a fast-paced action better temper your expectations with this one. The Bone Snatcher slowly builds its story and scenes with just enough meat on the bones to get you through the next scene.
2. It Came from the Desert [2017]
Very stylish and retro this movie is based on a 1989 video game of the same name. The game is based on all those 1950’s B movies with giant bugs. It’s a bit similar to one of the previous entries on this list, Dead Ant, but with a lot more visual and every other quality. With sleek and tight cinematography and phenomenal camerawork sometimes it looks like a promo for dirt bike races in the desert. With giant ants chasing the drivers, of course. It also has a nice, heart-warming story and a lot of references to older cult movies.
And to top things off our protagonists are fans of the sleazy eighties science fiction movies. I mean could this movie be any better? Two friends stumble upon an abandoned military facility hidden in a canyon. They start looking around the place like their heroes from sleazy eighties movies and soon find out that there’s a good reason that the facility was abandoned. Apparently, after a military experiment, a group of giant ants somehow got loose. Now they must escape the facility and warn everybody at the nearby party.
I thoroughly enjoyed this charming little flick. It’s a definite cult classic in the making and I’m certain that people will pick up on it. Sure, it has its flaws and towards the end, it slows down a bit, but it’s still very entertaining. Especially if you’re a fan of the genre. It features a similar vibe like one of the other entries on this list, Matinee with the love and friendship troubles our hero is having. The special effects were great and this is a movie with best-looking ants! The acting was pretty good and the cast likable. The writing was decent with a couple of jokes that missed their mark, but also a couple that was really funny. The atmosphere was vibrant and lively, just the way it should be in a movie like this. So, in the end, if you like movies about ants, you will love this one.
1. Them! [1954]
All hail Them! first of his name, king of the marabuntas and man, protector of the desert! I was fully aware of the impact that this movie had before I watched it, convinced that there’s no way that a movie almost seventy years old is going to be ranked first. However, I was wrong. When compared to the rest of the movies about ants, Them! stands a head and shoulders above with only a couple of contenders coming close to the king.
What can you write about a movie that almost single-handily started a whole new genre? A movie that features so many elements that we later saw in many science fiction and horror movies. I’m almost afraid to write about all the places we will visit because I want you to have the same amazing experience that I had. From the innocently and deviously timid opening scene to the grand finale, this movie just kept on giving and giving. It also had that sciency, no-nonsense vibe that Phase IV had.
Two police officers in a car set off to search a stretch of desert following reports of a small child wandering the road alone. Soon they find the girl but she’s in a catatonic state, unable to speak or communicate to them what happened. From here, things start getting more and more complicated. Them! starts off as an engaging mystery with foreboding tones.
The vastness of the desert and its inhospitality add even more tension as the plot thickens. It introduces its characters carefully, giving us time to get to know them. The dialogue was realistic and appropriate, something I wasn’t expecting from a movie released in 1954. Even the jokes were good. The practical effects were strangely good and effective, calling into question all those crappy CGI movies from the nineties. With great pacing and engaging story, Them! is a must-see!