This is a film for people who, like me, have seen the art in really poor film-making. Some films really do make an art form of the tacky storyline and cheesy script....this is a classic of the genre. It is full of humorous references for the true horror junkie and doesn't pretend to be anything it isn't. A film like this could go two ways...it could either try to take itself seriously and unless masterfully achieved it'll fall flat on its face, or it can step back and take a good, long, honest look at what its really got going for it and try to pull it off with its tongue firmly in its cheek. With a little more audacity some of the deaths could have achieved cult status (one certainly springs to mind)...but hey, with such a vast array of acting talent (Gunnar Hansen of Texas Chainsaw fame being the shining light, and Steve Dixon as Parks also doing an admirable job) and plenty of hillbilly gags, the obligatory pervert-cum-hero this is a must watch for the truly awful film fan...if you liked this watch mutator; awful film, great deaths.
56 Reviews
Mosquito
Scarecrow-8828 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Thanks to the alien dead, mosquitoes grow to alarming sizes, with an insatiable blood-thirst that puts any human being in their path in danger. A park is threatened as the swarm of mosquitoes, whose droning can be heard afar off, head straight towards them. Wiping out campers, who had pitched tents or were out fishing, a motley group of survivors, a meteorologist, Parks(Steve Dixon)notices strange readings on his Geiger counter and soon meets a couple, Megan(Rachel Loiselle)soon to be a park ranger and her lame boyfriend Ray(Tim Lovelace, handed a lot of goofy one-liners which only add to the fun)as they soon encounter the camping grounds covered in shriveled corpses, their blood drained dry. Hiding underneath a boat is cowardly Hendricks(Ron Asheton)who informs the group of what caused the slaughter. The four of them, take a RV from a deceased victim, hitting the road where they come across a duo of bumbling criminals, having lost a third member to the mosquitoes. Bankrobber Earl(Gunnar Hansen, Leatherface of Hooper's TCM), a grumbling, not-so-pleasant sort, and his inept brother Junior wish to commandeer the group's RV escalating into a brawl which soon has them all working as a collective when the mosquitoes attack the vehicle as Parks drives down the road. The film follows the group as the mosquitoes lead them to an abandoned farmhouse with special guests whose "epi-center" is in the basement.
Look, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I clearly expected this to be a 90's variant on the "giant insect" creature features from the 50's and was pleased with the result. There's a charm, to be sure, with a film of non-names and mosquitoes which often look like puppets guided by handlers with sticks just off-screen. The farm house stand-off, which I felt was a homage to Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, is particularly a treat where Hansen has an inspired moment with a certain log-cutting tool that sounds off as it rips apart constructed mosquitoes. There's a ton of emphasis on acting, but I didn't think the cast was nowhere near as horrendous as others. If anything, they were a likable, spirited brood I could easily root for. But, I can't, for the life of me, help but wonder what viewers expect when they start up a movie like this..you didn't know this was about giant created mosquitoes, made with quite a less-than-thrilling budget, attacking an unknown cast(..only a low budget and a title like "Mosquito" could afford)? I think, if anything, there's a joy and enthusiasm quite present as the film plays out, with some good and mediocre effects of the mosquitoes. I thought the director kept a solid pace, and the plot is what it is, and there's not a lick of pretension, which I especially found rewarding. I enjoyed how the mosquitoes would thrust into the bodies of victims with their proboscis, draining the blood and how they exploded when fired upon by guns while in flight. The house explosion at the end left me quite amused, particularly with how a central character cheats death thanks in part to a refrigerator. I also felt that what lies within the basement was a homage, of sorts, to ALIEN. There is plenty of silly dialogue, delivered straightly, that works beautifully within the hokey confines of this film. My favorite scene actually doesn't have the mosquitoes in it at all..our heroic meteorologist finds a camp site riddled with corpses left in the wake of a mosquito attack.
Look, I knew exactly what I was getting myself into. I clearly expected this to be a 90's variant on the "giant insect" creature features from the 50's and was pleased with the result. There's a charm, to be sure, with a film of non-names and mosquitoes which often look like puppets guided by handlers with sticks just off-screen. The farm house stand-off, which I felt was a homage to Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, is particularly a treat where Hansen has an inspired moment with a certain log-cutting tool that sounds off as it rips apart constructed mosquitoes. There's a ton of emphasis on acting, but I didn't think the cast was nowhere near as horrendous as others. If anything, they were a likable, spirited brood I could easily root for. But, I can't, for the life of me, help but wonder what viewers expect when they start up a movie like this..you didn't know this was about giant created mosquitoes, made with quite a less-than-thrilling budget, attacking an unknown cast(..only a low budget and a title like "Mosquito" could afford)? I think, if anything, there's a joy and enthusiasm quite present as the film plays out, with some good and mediocre effects of the mosquitoes. I thought the director kept a solid pace, and the plot is what it is, and there's not a lick of pretension, which I especially found rewarding. I enjoyed how the mosquitoes would thrust into the bodies of victims with their proboscis, draining the blood and how they exploded when fired upon by guns while in flight. The house explosion at the end left me quite amused, particularly with how a central character cheats death thanks in part to a refrigerator. I also felt that what lies within the basement was a homage, of sorts, to ALIEN. There is plenty of silly dialogue, delivered straightly, that works beautifully within the hokey confines of this film. My favorite scene actually doesn't have the mosquitoes in it at all..our heroic meteorologist finds a camp site riddled with corpses left in the wake of a mosquito attack.
Me and this movie go way back
Sanpaco1326 October 2019
I am torn on this movie but mostly leaning towards the side of loving it. The problem is the main reasons I love it are completely subjective, so I feel that I must still give an accurate technical rating of the movie.
I love this movie mainly because I remember seeing it many many times as a kid. In fact there was a time when my family and I would visit my grandma's house for a weekend at least once or twice a month and I would always sleep on the couch out in the main room, which meant I could watch tv until late. And for about a year, it seemed that every time we went, this movie was on cable as the late night movie, so I saw it probably about 15 times. I was young and so I wasn't really familiar with a lot of similar horror b films. At the time I remember thinking this was actually a serious scary film and not a campy b horror.
Years later now, I remembered the movie and wanted to see if I could find a copy of it. So I researched and got one and rewatched it. At first I thought this had to be a different film. The campiness of some of the park rangers reminded me of Wes Craven's "I Spit On Your Grave". But then quickly came in some of the really bad special effects and I knew this was the film I remembered.
So what does the film have going for it? Well it is definitely in the realm of those so bad its funny films. Although the movie does actually appear to attempt some humor which fails miserably. I think for me the best parts are the special effects, because they are so over the top and fake, yet also somewhat terrifying. I would say that all in all, the film feels like a homage to early zombie films both in its plot and special effects. Its definitely a film that anyone can sit down and enjoy for an evening if they just want something laugh at and be entertained by for an hour or two.
I love this movie mainly because I remember seeing it many many times as a kid. In fact there was a time when my family and I would visit my grandma's house for a weekend at least once or twice a month and I would always sleep on the couch out in the main room, which meant I could watch tv until late. And for about a year, it seemed that every time we went, this movie was on cable as the late night movie, so I saw it probably about 15 times. I was young and so I wasn't really familiar with a lot of similar horror b films. At the time I remember thinking this was actually a serious scary film and not a campy b horror.
Years later now, I remembered the movie and wanted to see if I could find a copy of it. So I researched and got one and rewatched it. At first I thought this had to be a different film. The campiness of some of the park rangers reminded me of Wes Craven's "I Spit On Your Grave". But then quickly came in some of the really bad special effects and I knew this was the film I remembered.
So what does the film have going for it? Well it is definitely in the realm of those so bad its funny films. Although the movie does actually appear to attempt some humor which fails miserably. I think for me the best parts are the special effects, because they are so over the top and fake, yet also somewhat terrifying. I would say that all in all, the film feels like a homage to early zombie films both in its plot and special effects. Its definitely a film that anyone can sit down and enjoy for an evening if they just want something laugh at and be entertained by for an hour or two.
Take it for What it's Worth
Dave Ebb19 May 1999
Beginning with a giant mosquito smashing against a window, this pseudo-horror/spoof starts with a bang. In addition to a main character who resembles the "Chef" from South Park, this movie also stars Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface from the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre). Furthermore, the editing is so bad that one character (the "bumbling deputy") actually has a beard in one scene, and does not in the next. The acting in this film is so bad that you'll constantly find yourself laughing. If you enjoyed Army of Darkness, Mosquito is a must see. I would also recommend "Jack Frost," "Humongous" and "Slugs."
Another giant insect to chill and drill you.
michaelRokeefe17 March 2001
This movie borders being terrible. It is so close to being lame it is funny. Slimy, gory, and crude. Dialogue is about as bad as the acting. A spacecraft crashes in a swamp in a National Park and the area is invaded by mosquitoes as big as a Great Dane. Special effects vary in degrees of believability. But then again we are talking giant mosquitoes. View it as a bloody comedy and you won't be too disappointed.
Two of the writers(Gunnar Hansen and Steve Hodge)are cast members. Also taking credit as actors are: Ron Asheton, Steve Dixon, Rachel Loiselle and John Reneaud.
Very small children might actually be frightened, so don't spoil it for them by laughing out loud.
Two of the writers(Gunnar Hansen and Steve Hodge)are cast members. Also taking credit as actors are: Ron Asheton, Steve Dixon, Rachel Loiselle and John Reneaud.
Very small children might actually be frightened, so don't spoil it for them by laughing out loud.
It is what it is!!
huggy_bear17 January 2004
There you have it. A giant bug movie, nothing more. Of course this is not going to be another "Alien". It is about giant mosquitos killing people. Although I have seen better, I sure have seen a lot worse also. Might be worth a rent, if not to get a laugh or two.
Full circle
rps-21 April 2003
Sometimes a movie is so terrible, descends so far to the very bottom of the curve, that it actually comes round again and turns out to be pretty good. Such is Mosquito, the sort of thing shown at third rate drive ins.I honestly don't know whether it was supposed to be funny or not but it is hilarious, all the more so because we live in a part of the world famous for its swarms of mosquitoes. (Now if somebody does one on giant black flies, they'd make a nice matched set to leave in our guest room..) I bought this from a local video store which is cleaning out its tapes as it switches to DVD. I thought it would be a conversation piece. It is!
"Haven't held one of these babies in 20 years!"
Werewolfy11 July 2006
Jippie, the first movie I comment!
Anyways, this was one baaaaaad bad movie, in fact it was so hilariously bad it just cracked me up and I thought it was good! Okay the beginning is pretty slow. This had some poor acting too but what can you expect? I actually rented this movie because it stood in the news section, it had just been released on DVD, don't know what the crap it was doing in the news section. The first 30 minutes I regretted renting it but after a while it became very entertaining to watch in all of it's marvelous crappyness.
So what we got here is basically mutated mosquito's that sucked the blood of an alien that crashed into their swamp. These bastards are huge and they suck humans dry, even makes their eyes pop out! So we got this small gang of people, running, hiding, and fighting these things. A plus on this movie is that one of them is none other than good old Gunnar Hansen, better known as "Leatherface" from 1974's "Texas chainsaw massacre". He even makes a very goofy, incredibly bold reference to his old days as leatherface by grabbing a really huge chainsaw to fight mosquito's with, saying "I haven't held one of these babies in 20 years!" The mosquito's though are a bit of a gag, looks kind of plastic, though they could have been worse... I guess they are acceptable. Anytime the camera follows a mosquito if we look closely, we can see the wire it's hanging from, though this happens a lot in movies, even in some quality ones so we can't hold a grudge against this movie for that old mistake. Though when several mosquito's are seen chasing after the gang the effects are so poor, it's like 8 frames per second, tops, looks more like paper cut outs, flying across the screen, though more like lagging across the screen.
Also one thing in a scene that really astonished me. The main character couple stumbles upon a small boat that moves around. If I remember correctly you could hear mosquito buzzing from inside of it. So they lift it and it turns out to be a local park ranger instead. (WTF?)
One scene that had me cracking up was when the group hides underground and the black guy (my favorite character except for Gunnar) mentions he was in nam, to which Gunnar responds him too. Then the young guy hasn't really got anything so he just says "Yeah well I was in the boy-scouts!" To this comments everyone actually starts laughing in the movie! It's completely unsuiting, but it was actually kind of fun, one of the funniest things in this movie actually. I don't know, maybe I was exaggerating a bit, rating this a 7, but it's just because it's so damn funny to me! It's worth a look if you enjoy watching B-flicks.
Anyways, this was one baaaaaad bad movie, in fact it was so hilariously bad it just cracked me up and I thought it was good! Okay the beginning is pretty slow. This had some poor acting too but what can you expect? I actually rented this movie because it stood in the news section, it had just been released on DVD, don't know what the crap it was doing in the news section. The first 30 minutes I regretted renting it but after a while it became very entertaining to watch in all of it's marvelous crappyness.
So what we got here is basically mutated mosquito's that sucked the blood of an alien that crashed into their swamp. These bastards are huge and they suck humans dry, even makes their eyes pop out! So we got this small gang of people, running, hiding, and fighting these things. A plus on this movie is that one of them is none other than good old Gunnar Hansen, better known as "Leatherface" from 1974's "Texas chainsaw massacre". He even makes a very goofy, incredibly bold reference to his old days as leatherface by grabbing a really huge chainsaw to fight mosquito's with, saying "I haven't held one of these babies in 20 years!" The mosquito's though are a bit of a gag, looks kind of plastic, though they could have been worse... I guess they are acceptable. Anytime the camera follows a mosquito if we look closely, we can see the wire it's hanging from, though this happens a lot in movies, even in some quality ones so we can't hold a grudge against this movie for that old mistake. Though when several mosquito's are seen chasing after the gang the effects are so poor, it's like 8 frames per second, tops, looks more like paper cut outs, flying across the screen, though more like lagging across the screen.
Also one thing in a scene that really astonished me. The main character couple stumbles upon a small boat that moves around. If I remember correctly you could hear mosquito buzzing from inside of it. So they lift it and it turns out to be a local park ranger instead. (WTF?)
One scene that had me cracking up was when the group hides underground and the black guy (my favorite character except for Gunnar) mentions he was in nam, to which Gunnar responds him too. Then the young guy hasn't really got anything so he just says "Yeah well I was in the boy-scouts!" To this comments everyone actually starts laughing in the movie! It's completely unsuiting, but it was actually kind of fun, one of the funniest things in this movie actually. I don't know, maybe I was exaggerating a bit, rating this a 7, but it's just because it's so damn funny to me! It's worth a look if you enjoy watching B-flicks.
Not as bad as people say... but still bad.
Chromium_59 September 2004
Contrary to popular belief, it's not the plot or special effects that bring this movie down. The mosquitoes look fine for the most part, and since I live in an area SWARMING with mosquitoes, I found the idea of giant ones actually quite frightening.
But what DOES bring the movie down is the acting. This movie contains some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Not surprising, considering the actors' filmographies (according to IMDb, the girl has only been in one movie: this one.). Gunnar Hanson is the notable exception, of course, playing the same character he did in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Steve Dixon is also tolerable, and tons of other reviewers have already pointed out that he is eerily similar to Chef from South Park (could they have based Chef on this guy!?). The rest of the cast, however, is pathetic.
The fact that their lines are totally ridiculous doesn't help, either. The dumbest bit comes at one point near the end, when the leader is talking about his time in Nam, and the girl's "tough" boyfriend tries to lighten the moment with a joke: "Well, I was in the Cub Scouts. Try becoming a Weevil... now that's tough." Then they all sit back and have a hearty laugh. Only they don't stop laughing. They just laugh and laugh and laugh for about ten minutes straight like a bunch of drunken idiots, and they don't hear the mosquitoes until OH MY GOD IT'S TOO LATE.
Yeah, the movie is full of cheesy stuff like that... better lines and better actors and they might have had a movie, but not this time. 4/10 stars.
(P.S.- Not to drive this point into the ground, but I find it amazing that FOUR of the original reviewers mistook a refrigerator for a bathtub. I really want to go to these people's houses and see what kinds of bathtubs they have that open with a lid.)
But what DOES bring the movie down is the acting. This movie contains some of the worst acting I have ever seen. Not surprising, considering the actors' filmographies (according to IMDb, the girl has only been in one movie: this one.). Gunnar Hanson is the notable exception, of course, playing the same character he did in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Steve Dixon is also tolerable, and tons of other reviewers have already pointed out that he is eerily similar to Chef from South Park (could they have based Chef on this guy!?). The rest of the cast, however, is pathetic.
The fact that their lines are totally ridiculous doesn't help, either. The dumbest bit comes at one point near the end, when the leader is talking about his time in Nam, and the girl's "tough" boyfriend tries to lighten the moment with a joke: "Well, I was in the Cub Scouts. Try becoming a Weevil... now that's tough." Then they all sit back and have a hearty laugh. Only they don't stop laughing. They just laugh and laugh and laugh for about ten minutes straight like a bunch of drunken idiots, and they don't hear the mosquitoes until OH MY GOD IT'S TOO LATE.
Yeah, the movie is full of cheesy stuff like that... better lines and better actors and they might have had a movie, but not this time. 4/10 stars.
(P.S.- Not to drive this point into the ground, but I find it amazing that FOUR of the original reviewers mistook a refrigerator for a bathtub. I really want to go to these people's houses and see what kinds of bathtubs they have that open with a lid.)
Good special effects.
friedshrimp-214 October 2000
A group of people battle against giant mosquitos. The acting could have been much better. The special effects were superb. Sometimes I wondered how they got those giant mosquitos to look so real. This movie is like a mosquito version of Hitchcock's The Birds except the mosquitos fly in a smaller group.
Camp B Horror Movie
Theo Robertson3 January 2009
One wonders what the producers were thinking of when they set up the premise of " Mosquitos become infected by sucking the blood of an alien crew who have crashed in to the Deep South causing them to grow " . If you're gonna have aliens in a movie then surely giant mutating mosquitos are unnecessary to the plot ? Likewise why introduce aliens if they're just going to kick start the plot ? Why just not use a chemical leak ?
The latter point draws to your attention that this is a very retro type of horror movie with giant insects killing people that we'd often see in the 1950s . Perhaps that's why the aliens were needed ? so that the audience would be made aware that it's not really a film that should be taken seriously and is in fact camp B movie nonsense
The characters are all clichéd stereotypes such as hunky and courageous male lead , nice girl establishment heroine , noble ethnic minority figure , nasty redneck criminal , comedy character with nearly everyone else marked down as red shirt who's just there to be killed . It's a somewhat cheesy , perhaps too cheesy to be a total success as this type of undemanding film and it is very predictable but it's hardly the worst film I've seen over the last few weeks on the Zone Horror channel and the producers and the rest of the crowd should feel a sense of pride with that
The latter point draws to your attention that this is a very retro type of horror movie with giant insects killing people that we'd often see in the 1950s . Perhaps that's why the aliens were needed ? so that the audience would be made aware that it's not really a film that should be taken seriously and is in fact camp B movie nonsense
The characters are all clichéd stereotypes such as hunky and courageous male lead , nice girl establishment heroine , noble ethnic minority figure , nasty redneck criminal , comedy character with nearly everyone else marked down as red shirt who's just there to be killed . It's a somewhat cheesy , perhaps too cheesy to be a total success as this type of undemanding film and it is very predictable but it's hardly the worst film I've seen over the last few weeks on the Zone Horror channel and the producers and the rest of the crowd should feel a sense of pride with that
Either except it as a cheesy romp and love it or take it seriously and hate it
dbborroughs28 January 2006
This movie is in constant rotation on SciFi and its another one of those movies that I stop at each time its on. The plot has badly done giant mosquitoes attacking people in the country side. They have been mutated after feeding on the blood of dead aliens...I know you're shocked, you were expecting a high class movie (even with the title Mosquito) and instead you got a very silly movie played (reasonably) straight by everyone involved. Clearly the cast and crew knew this was a silly idea, but they milk it for all its worth turning the attack scenes into something you both wince at (for the idea of it) and groan at (the silliness of the execution). This is one of the rare modern attempts at a drive in movie that walks the fine line between being serious and being mocking to create something thats enjoyable despite the dumbness of it all. If you can take it on its own level its worth two bags of popcorn and a couple of sodas. If you can't take it for what it it is then you're in for a long painful viewing experience.
9 out of 10 on the brain dead fun-o-meter.
9 out of 10 on the brain dead fun-o-meter.
"Man, the late show doesn't get any better than this."
Hey_Sweden14 November 2015
Warning: Spoilers
As "Mosquito" opens, some alien creatures dump some corpses / trash on Earth. They land in a swamp where the little flying blood suckers promptly do what they do best and feed on the corpses. This naturally causes them to grow to massive size and breed rapidly. The skeeters then descend on the people in the area. Among those who have to team up to save the day are Megan (Rachel Loiselle), an aspiring park ranger, Ray (Tim Lovelace), Megans' boyfriend, Parks (Steve Dixon), a scientist investigating meteor activity, a ranger named Hendricks (Ron Asheton, founding member of the punk rock band The Stooges), and a bank robber named Earl (none other than Gunnar Hansen).
Filmed on a modest budget in the woods of Michigan, "Mosquito" is pretty entertaining for this sort of thing. It doesn't really do anything special, but at least it was made in a time before CGI became the effects standard for such movies, and there is some very engaging practical creature effects and stop motion animation. Thanks to a decent pace established by co-writer / director Gary Jones and editors Tom Ludwig & William Shaffer, lively acting by the mostly no name cast, the aforementioned effects work, and an appreciably tongue in cheek approach, "Mosquito" does turn out to be fairly good. Well aware of leading actor Hansens' legacy, Jones and his fellow screenwriters make sure to get a chain saw into his hands, while having him say, "I haven't held one of these in 20 years".
Reasonably exciting at times, "Mosquito" leads to a literally explosive finish. And in a nice change of pace, Jones and company don't try to get cute with some sort of final gag, but just end things on a pleasant, agreeable note.
There are MUCH worse ways to spend 92 minutes of ones' time. Interested viewers might want to compare this to the thematically similar 1994 movie "Skeeter".
Seven out of 10.
Filmed on a modest budget in the woods of Michigan, "Mosquito" is pretty entertaining for this sort of thing. It doesn't really do anything special, but at least it was made in a time before CGI became the effects standard for such movies, and there is some very engaging practical creature effects and stop motion animation. Thanks to a decent pace established by co-writer / director Gary Jones and editors Tom Ludwig & William Shaffer, lively acting by the mostly no name cast, the aforementioned effects work, and an appreciably tongue in cheek approach, "Mosquito" does turn out to be fairly good. Well aware of leading actor Hansens' legacy, Jones and his fellow screenwriters make sure to get a chain saw into his hands, while having him say, "I haven't held one of these in 20 years".
Reasonably exciting at times, "Mosquito" leads to a literally explosive finish. And in a nice change of pace, Jones and company don't try to get cute with some sort of final gag, but just end things on a pleasant, agreeable note.
There are MUCH worse ways to spend 92 minutes of ones' time. Interested viewers might want to compare this to the thematically similar 1994 movie "Skeeter".
Seven out of 10.
This is the worst movie of all time.
jrose-123 March 2002
This movie has to be the absolute worst movie of all times, the plot is awful, and the acting, effects, and settings are a complete joke. The only reason that I actually sat through this movie is because I needed something to put me to sleep, it did the opposite. I was laughing at the "serious acting" so hard that I couldn't even thing about sleeping.
"What in God's name happened here?"
Backlash00718 February 2003
I didn't think you could make a career out of crap, but sadly I've been proven wrong. Mosquito's director, Gary Jones, has made two more of these oversized animal movies! Incidentally, the flick was written by the "legendary" Gunnar Hansen, who is also one of the main characters. I could dog Mosquito pretty hard, but for the straight-to-video huge animal/insect sub-genre, it's probably the best (with Ticks coming in as a close second). It's just so funny. I can't tell if the laughs are intentional or not. There are some things that are so absolutely hilarious that you have to believe they wrote it that way to get a laugh, but you're never quite sure. Here's the best dialogue shared between our characters: "If I wasn't having such a sh*tty day, I'd kill you right now." "Men a lot better than you have said that to me before, many times." Who has said that to you??? I really want to know. Another favorite line is when Gunnar picks up the chainsaw. "I haven't handled one of these babies in twenty years." That is, of course, a reference to The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and I have to believe that it's the only line Gunnar actually wrote. And Steve Dixon is Chef from South Park. Period. If you want to have a fun night, catch Mosquito. Hell, I own it.
Here's a note to half of the other reviewers: Can you not tell the difference between a bathtub and a fridge??????
Here's a note to half of the other reviewers: Can you not tell the difference between a bathtub and a fridge??????
Not even good as a cheesy B movie
Shattered_Wake25 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
After a meteor plummets to Earth in the middle of nowhere, the mosquitoes of the area grow to prehistoric proportions and take over a national park. A few random people band together in an attempt to get to rescue and determine what exactly is going on with the giant murderous skeeters.
I tend to like 'dumb' giant-bug sci-fi/horror movies, like 'Starship Troopers,' 'Them!'. . . even 'Eight Legged Freaks,' for some reason. Sadly, there isn't much to like about Mosquito. Even for a B sci-fi movie, this is bad. The acting is horrendous, the writing is even worse, the effects are ridiculous. . . the only thing even slightly good about it is the makeup on the corpses. That's all. It tries so hard to be funny: It's not. It tries to be a gross-out flick: It's not. It tries to be scary, even jump-scary: It's not. 'Mosquito' pretty much fails on every level that it could possibly want to be seen. It is watchable, at least. . . but that's about it. If you want to have a few beers and play 'Mystery Science Theatre 3000,' you might have fun. Again, that's about it.
Final Verdict: 3.5/10.
-AP3-
I tend to like 'dumb' giant-bug sci-fi/horror movies, like 'Starship Troopers,' 'Them!'. . . even 'Eight Legged Freaks,' for some reason. Sadly, there isn't much to like about Mosquito. Even for a B sci-fi movie, this is bad. The acting is horrendous, the writing is even worse, the effects are ridiculous. . . the only thing even slightly good about it is the makeup on the corpses. That's all. It tries so hard to be funny: It's not. It tries to be a gross-out flick: It's not. It tries to be scary, even jump-scary: It's not. 'Mosquito' pretty much fails on every level that it could possibly want to be seen. It is watchable, at least. . . but that's about it. If you want to have a few beers and play 'Mystery Science Theatre 3000,' you might have fun. Again, that's about it.
Final Verdict: 3.5/10.
-AP3-
As you can tell by the title, this movie sucks!
culwin4 January 1999
Boring "horror"/sci-fi trash. I would expect this to be on an episode of MST3K soon. Most of the main people in the movie have never even been in anything else! Did they just hire people off the street?? It sure looks like it. 2/10
Highlight: guy at the end is inside a house that erupts into a big giant fireball and survives unscratched ... by hiding inside a bathtub!! Hahaha
Highlight: guy at the end is inside a house that erupts into a big giant fireball and survives unscratched ... by hiding inside a bathtub!! Hahaha
Fittingly for a movie about mosquitos, this one sucks!
culwin19 December 1998
Warning: Spoilers
An unknown director, unknown writers, and a never-seen cast come together for this sci-fi/horror bomb. It goes without saying that the plot is dumb, but even the acting is awful. Why do I have the feeling that the director just grabbed people off the street? I doubt even die-hard sci-fi fans would find any enjoyment in watching this flick, except maybe to make fun of it. I expect to see this one on Mystery Science Theater 3k - soon!
Spoiler: An entire house explodes in a giant fireball, yet someone inside manages to survive with nary a scratch - by hiding in a bathtub! :)
Spoiler: An entire house explodes in a giant fireball, yet someone inside manages to survive with nary a scratch - by hiding in a bathtub! :)
This movie bugs me (no pun intended)
Theshapeshifter28 January 2006
This film has awful effects, acting which isn't very believable, and what's more, a very weak plot. I am completely astounded that it was made. But it certainly gets a small crowd going in a pinch. The story is about as complex as any for a low-budget horror film imaginable. It centers around a swarm of generic mosquitoes which suck an alien's blood (gee, I didn't see *that* coming!) and become huge. It is the type of film which critics circle overhead like a flock of vultures hoping to mock and ridicule. And they have a good reason for it. This film is terrible with its acting and with its story, but in the end, it is so horrid that it cannot help but get certain horror fans going. It gives off a look as though the people making the film were a group of grade school students with little better to do. And one cannot help but enjoy it.
I loved it
scarlettsdad2 December 2023
"Mosquito" is a perfect example of a movie that's so bad it's good. I can't in all honesty give it any higher than a 5 because of the "so bad" issues, but the "so good" parts prop it up. Low budget, dire acting, ridiculous script. But with the exception of the flying skeeters, the low budget special effects are actually not that bad. And in spite of the low budget, you get the feeling that everyone involved gave it the old college try and threw everything they could into it. As a result, I literally applauded at a couple of scenes for their over-the-topness, and laughed my butt off through most of the film.
So yeah, as far as movie making goes, it was bad. But I enjoyed the dumb thing and was thoroughly entertained and movies are meant to entertain so in that, it succeeded. So, it's not so bad.
So yeah, as far as movie making goes, it was bad. But I enjoyed the dumb thing and was thoroughly entertained and movies are meant to entertain so in that, it succeeded. So, it's not so bad.
"If I wasn't having such a sh*tty day I'd kill ya' right now." Decent creature feature.
poolandrews14 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Mosquito starts as a small alien spacecraft lands in a state park swamp, a hatch opens & the alien inside tries to get out but dies. Soon Mosquitos land on the dead alien & start to drink it's alien DNA filled blood... Megan (Rachel Loiselle) is a new state park ranger & is one her way to her new job with her boyfriend Ray (Tim Lovelace) when they have an accident & their car is put out of action. They manage to hitch a lift with meteorologist Parks (Steve Dixon) who is on the lookout for a meteorite that apparently landed in the area recently, once at the state park they find nothing but carnage with dead bodies strewn everywhere. The trio soon find out that giant mutated Mosquitos are on the loose & need plenty of fresh human blood to survive...
Co-written & directed by Gary Jones this appears to be a throwback &/or homage to the giant bug flicks from the 50's & 60's & while it's no masterpiece it's not a bad little film at all. The script by Jones, cinematographer Tom Chaney & Steve Hodge doesn't take itself too seriously & if you take it as intended can be quite a fun ride at times. The pace is pretty good, it doesn't lag too badly & there's plenty of on screen action. The character's are OK if not particularly memorable although some of the dialogue is stiff & awkward at times, I suppose my biggest problem with Mosquito is that it's rather predictable & it's a bit repetitive. The main group of character's are attacked by hordes of giant mutated Mosquitos in a state park & that's basically the entire film until the end, I'd have liked a bit more variety & less running around doing nothing in particular. Still, it's a fairly entertaining way to pass 90 odd minutes, for what it sets out to do & be it works fine, most creature feature fans should enjoy it & it's definitely better than 99% of those Sci-Fi Channel made creature feature type films like Python (2000) if nothing else. One more thing, when they set the timer at the end for three minutes to blow the gas lines a hell of a lot longer than three minutes actually elapse before the flame ignites!
Director Jones does alright here on a minuscule budget & he also went on to direct a couple more giant creature feature films with the rather fun Spiders (2000) & the distinctly less impressive Crocodile 2: Death Swamp (2002). The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) fans will be pleased with an amusing reference to that film as Gunnar Hansen who played Leatherface in it plays a bank-robber here who at the end fights off the giant Mosquitos with a huge chainsaw which he quips 'I haven't held one of these in over twenty years'! The special effects are a mixed bag really, some of them are extremely impressive while at other times they are pretty poor & unfortunately as audiences we generally remember the poor ones rather than the good ones. The opening shots in space of the alien ship are brilliant & look great, the Mosquitos themselves look cool as well but it's just some of the effects when they have to fly & move that either the budget or expertise wasn't there. There's not much gore here, there are a few dead bodies sucked dry of blood, someones eyes poke out on stalks & then explode, there are a few close-up shots of the Mosquitos proboscis entering flesh & that's about it. There's only one scene with any nudity in it as well.
It's amazing to think Mosquito had a budget of about $200,000 because some of the special effects as I've already mentioned are very impressive especially the opening spaceship sequence & there's a great scene of a farmhouse being blown to bits at the end that would rival any Hollywood action blockbuster. Shot on location in some woods in Detroit in Michigan. The acting isn't that great, in fact it's pretty poor at times.
Mosquito is a fun little creature feature, I was very impressed with some of the special effects while other's left a lot to be desired. I liked it, it wasn't a masterpiece, it's not deep or meaningful & it certainly won't change your life but it will probably entertain you for 90 odd minutes & that's all you can really ask for.
Co-written & directed by Gary Jones this appears to be a throwback &/or homage to the giant bug flicks from the 50's & 60's & while it's no masterpiece it's not a bad little film at all. The script by Jones, cinematographer Tom Chaney & Steve Hodge doesn't take itself too seriously & if you take it as intended can be quite a fun ride at times. The pace is pretty good, it doesn't lag too badly & there's plenty of on screen action. The character's are OK if not particularly memorable although some of the dialogue is stiff & awkward at times, I suppose my biggest problem with Mosquito is that it's rather predictable & it's a bit repetitive. The main group of character's are attacked by hordes of giant mutated Mosquitos in a state park & that's basically the entire film until the end, I'd have liked a bit more variety & less running around doing nothing in particular. Still, it's a fairly entertaining way to pass 90 odd minutes, for what it sets out to do & be it works fine, most creature feature fans should enjoy it & it's definitely better than 99% of those Sci-Fi Channel made creature feature type films like Python (2000) if nothing else. One more thing, when they set the timer at the end for three minutes to blow the gas lines a hell of a lot longer than three minutes actually elapse before the flame ignites!
Director Jones does alright here on a minuscule budget & he also went on to direct a couple more giant creature feature films with the rather fun Spiders (2000) & the distinctly less impressive Crocodile 2: Death Swamp (2002). The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) fans will be pleased with an amusing reference to that film as Gunnar Hansen who played Leatherface in it plays a bank-robber here who at the end fights off the giant Mosquitos with a huge chainsaw which he quips 'I haven't held one of these in over twenty years'! The special effects are a mixed bag really, some of them are extremely impressive while at other times they are pretty poor & unfortunately as audiences we generally remember the poor ones rather than the good ones. The opening shots in space of the alien ship are brilliant & look great, the Mosquitos themselves look cool as well but it's just some of the effects when they have to fly & move that either the budget or expertise wasn't there. There's not much gore here, there are a few dead bodies sucked dry of blood, someones eyes poke out on stalks & then explode, there are a few close-up shots of the Mosquitos proboscis entering flesh & that's about it. There's only one scene with any nudity in it as well.
It's amazing to think Mosquito had a budget of about $200,000 because some of the special effects as I've already mentioned are very impressive especially the opening spaceship sequence & there's a great scene of a farmhouse being blown to bits at the end that would rival any Hollywood action blockbuster. Shot on location in some woods in Detroit in Michigan. The acting isn't that great, in fact it's pretty poor at times.
Mosquito is a fun little creature feature, I was very impressed with some of the special effects while other's left a lot to be desired. I liked it, it wasn't a masterpiece, it's not deep or meaningful & it certainly won't change your life but it will probably entertain you for 90 odd minutes & that's all you can really ask for.
Bad, not so bad it's good, not nanar, just simply not good, just bad.
q-1869320 December 2016
This film is not entertaining in any way.
It's not cheesy and fun like Samurai Cop. It's not bad and funny like The Room, Birdemic, etc. It's not competent and great-at-what-it-is like Sharknado. And finally it's not as entertaining as AA supernatural insects/whatever attacks.
It's just bad. It's weak stuff.
The colors are drab and it looks like it was filmed in the 70's or 80's. It's a cheap sci-fi film like many, many others.
If you're looking for a movie so bad that it's good, this is not the right place. I did not laugh once. I did not even chuckle. It's not original in any way.
This is comparable to the Night of the Lepus.
Nothing more to say.
It's not cheesy and fun like Samurai Cop. It's not bad and funny like The Room, Birdemic, etc. It's not competent and great-at-what-it-is like Sharknado. And finally it's not as entertaining as AA supernatural insects/whatever attacks.
It's just bad. It's weak stuff.
The colors are drab and it looks like it was filmed in the 70's or 80's. It's a cheap sci-fi film like many, many others.
If you're looking for a movie so bad that it's good, this is not the right place. I did not laugh once. I did not even chuckle. It's not original in any way.
This is comparable to the Night of the Lepus.
Nothing more to say.
An enjoyably silly, gory and trashy retro 50's giant killer bug horror creature feature hoot
Woodyanders5 September 2006
Warning: Spoilers
An enjoyably pulpy, trashy, competently mounted and energetically executed 50's style over-sized killer insect creature feature done with wonderfully sleazoid 90's type gore, nudity, profanity and general self-aware film buff fanaticism. An alien spaceship crashlands in a lake located nearby by a forest summercamp community. Bacteria from the spaceship infects the local mosquitoes and causes them to grow into hideous, butt-ugly, way lethal and voracious gigantic mutants who promptly develop an insatiable appetite for human blood. In short time lots of folks have been sucked dry, leaving the standard collection of mixed bag everyday schmo reluctant protagonists -- a hunky dude and his feisty girlfriend, a rugged, quick-thinking take-charge scientist, a constantly sniveling spineless clod, and a gang of bumbling criminals led by a portly, pony-tailed Gunnar Hansen (Leatherface in the original "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre") -- to destroy the bugs before they multiply and feast on the entire human race.
Made on a modest, but well-used spare change budget in Detriot, Michigan, directed with tremendous go-for-it gusto by Gary Jones, acted with comparably infectious aplomb by an enthusiastic cast, with several slam-bang stirring insect attack set pieces (the sequence where an unrelenting swarm of flying mosquitoes attack a speeding camper especially smokes), a tasty plenitude of moist, squishy, blood-spilling and slime-slinging splatter, somewhat variable, but still funky special effects (the giant rubbery insects are really cool), a nice smattering of winningly witty B-movie in-jokes (a TV reporter named Allen Smithee, Gunnar wields a mean chainsaw in one scene, and there's a right-on raunchy send-up of the inevitable "have sex and die" backwoods fright flick cliché), a crackling forward-ho pace and a whole-hearted affection for gleefully junky $1.50 cheeseball horror cinema, "Mosquito" eagerly delivers a handy helping of good, gruesome, delightfully blunt and unpretentious straightahead dimestore monster fun.
Made on a modest, but well-used spare change budget in Detriot, Michigan, directed with tremendous go-for-it gusto by Gary Jones, acted with comparably infectious aplomb by an enthusiastic cast, with several slam-bang stirring insect attack set pieces (the sequence where an unrelenting swarm of flying mosquitoes attack a speeding camper especially smokes), a tasty plenitude of moist, squishy, blood-spilling and slime-slinging splatter, somewhat variable, but still funky special effects (the giant rubbery insects are really cool), a nice smattering of winningly witty B-movie in-jokes (a TV reporter named Allen Smithee, Gunnar wields a mean chainsaw in one scene, and there's a right-on raunchy send-up of the inevitable "have sex and die" backwoods fright flick cliché), a crackling forward-ho pace and a whole-hearted affection for gleefully junky $1.50 cheeseball horror cinema, "Mosquito" eagerly delivers a handy helping of good, gruesome, delightfully blunt and unpretentious straightahead dimestore monster fun.
A great D horror movie for Sci-fi late nights
lostsoulofinnocence5 May 2006
Though it is meant to be a horror it is more the comedy in my eyes, with lines like:
"We have to take it with us."
"I don't know where your taking it but that thing is not going in my car."
"We have to study it"
Those how love the bad late night Scifi movies will roll over laughing when they watch this horrible film. The scenes in which people are killed by the bird of prey sized mosquitoes are hilarious in their attempt to be mildly scary.
Many who've watched with me say that the usual stereotypical white male and black male roles are reversed in this film.The white leading man tends to want to get far away from the bugs while the black geologist has more of a desire to discover what's going on with the radiation levels.
"We have to take it with us."
"I don't know where your taking it but that thing is not going in my car."
"We have to study it"
Those how love the bad late night Scifi movies will roll over laughing when they watch this horrible film. The scenes in which people are killed by the bird of prey sized mosquitoes are hilarious in their attempt to be mildly scary.
Many who've watched with me say that the usual stereotypical white male and black male roles are reversed in this film.The white leading man tends to want to get far away from the bugs while the black geologist has more of a desire to discover what's going on with the radiation levels.
MOSQUITO
TCurtis91921 March 2020
"MOSQUITO" (1994, Jones) has a good opening, muddled first half, and exciting second half. The mosquitoes are really well made and if you can get ahold of this you should. It has some really cool moments and Spielberg even lifted the refrigerator scene for the fourth Indiana Jones.
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