How would you call a movie featuring killer wasps, Stung right? After killer sheep (Black Sheep), mosquitos (Mosquito), ticks (Ticks), and pigs (Razorback), we now also have giant killer wasps. Clearly knowing the outrageousness of the story, the filmmakers didn’t take themselves too seriously. I mean, how could you take yourself seriously in any of these giant animal movies? This gave Stung a very easygoing and entertaining atmosphere. We all know what’s happening and what’s going to happen so let’s just have some fun with it.
Stung is the best type of horror-comedy and that’s the horror-comedy featuring some kind of monster. I don’t care if it’s zombies, dogs, or vengeful spirits, just give me some nasty creature to look forward to. And I have to tell you that giant wasps look phenomenally good here. They were modeled on a real species known as the tarantula wasps. The combination of CGI and practical effects turned out to be the winning one.
Add to this a pretty steady flow of gruesome deaths along with impressive body horror and you’ve got yourself a true classic. I know it’s not as tight as the rest of your favorite creature features or horror comedies but it’s got a soul. And I also enjoyed the focus on working-class men and women. Bartenders sneaking off to smoke a joint and bitching about spoiled guests gave Stung a sense of authenticity. And dare I say it, camaraderie.
Paul and Julia are working for a catering company and they just arrived at their next venue. The Perch Estate is the home of a wealthy Mrs. Perch who loves her annual garden parties more than anything else. However, this party promises to be quite different. Mostly because not too long ago a colony of parasitic wasps got infected by a mixture of growth hormone and fertilizer. Chaos is about to ensue on the grounds of The Perch Estate…
It will take a while for the violence to begin in Stung. But once it starts, it just goes on and on. People will be mauled, decapitated, pierced, and split open with grace and lots of blood. The cast is a mixture of youth and experience. I liked Jessica Cook and Matt O’Leary as our main couple but it’s the old guys that gave this movie flavor. Of course, Clifton Collins Jr. is in this movie because why the fuck not? The man sure knows how to pick ’em aright. And as a bonus, we get Lance Henriksen, what more to want?
With a runtime of just under ninety minutes, Stung will be over before you know it. I know that the script isn’t the greatest and that storytelling is a bit clunky, but what can I say, I’m a sucker for these movies. Also, did I mention that this is a single location flick? There’s a reason why this is the number one movie on our Subversive Rabbit list Fear The Buzzing: Killer Bee Movies. Finally, if you’re looking for more similar movies, check out our Natural Horror Lists.
Director: Benni Diez
Writer: Adam Aresty
Cast: Clifton Collins Jr., Jessica Cook, Lance Henriksen, David Masterson, Matt O’Leary
Fun Facts: Budget: $2,500,000
Rating:
IMDb Link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3300572/
