Though there are plenty of movies with ants as the antagonist I'll have to be honest with the exception of Them (1954) I've never really been able to take them seriously as a viable threat. I mean seriously, ants?
Phase IV managed to change my mind on that and made ants a legitimately terrifying credible enemy.
It tells the story of a pair of scientists who set up a lab in the middle of the desert where ants seem to have taken over. Right beside a failed desert development they underestimate the intelligence of their diminutive foes.
The first thing that struck me was how good it all looked, the movie is years ahead of its time in both cinematography and practical effects. The ant sequences are truly remarkable and not rushed as you tend to expect them to be for the mid 70's. They take their time, intricately crafting the ants world, telling their silent story and solidifying their credibility as threats to mankind.
I went in expecting some hammy mess, what I got was an elusive diamond in the rough and I'm very very impressed.
Well acted, visually stunning and paced perfectly Phase IV is a great sci-fi piece that didn't deserve to go under the radar the way it did.
Fantastic stuff.
The Good:
Well ahead of its time
Looks great
Ant footage is very impressive
Strong cast
The Bad:
The nagging concern of possible animal cruelty
Silly ant noises
