I remember seeing this movie in theaters when it was first released, but beyond that I couldn’t tell you much about it. This viewing was like seeing it again for the first time. And this time “Directed by Guillermo del Toro” actually meant something to me.
You get a pretty good monster movie here with lots of shadows and plenty of opportunities for something to jump out and scare you. Insects are creepy and crawly to a lot of people already, but when you enlarge them and give them a plausible human shape they get even creepier.
Mira Sorvino's character finally puts the pieces together.
What’s to like?
- The creature effects. They don’t look cheap or phony. That’s probably where lighting comes into play.
- Mira Sorvino. She’s attractive and very capable of portraying a scientifically-minded character.
- Blood. There’s a healthy amount of it splattered over the course of the film.
- Kids die. How often do you see pre-teens die in horror movies?
What’s not to like?
- Kids. Whether it’s the “special” kid that recreates the insect sound with spoons or the young thugs in training that sell Sorvino the bug, they’re getting someone’s ass into trouble.
- Fecal samples. Josh Brolin’s character gets to take shit samples from giant piles stuck to the walls in the subway tunnels. No thanks.
Verdict: See it. Hell, I might even consider adding this one to my library someday if a blu ray comes out at the right price.
