Monday, September 7, 2020

Phase IV (1974)

A remarkable film, at first glance yet another "creepy" insect horror film but it is far more of that.

A mysterious force in outer space has taken control of ants on Earth, merging them into a super intelligence. Dr Hubbs (Nigel Davenport) and Lesko (Michael Murphy) are investigating the phenomena.

The ants have driven people from a desert town, and built strange structures. Hubbs and Lesko have built a domed research base, but who is really under investigation? Ants... or humans? The ants soon prove deadly, killing a family of farmers except Kendra (Lynne Frederick) who is rescued by the scientists. However the ants' plan is not to destroy...

The film has some incredible visuals, many close-ups of ants of course. The story is developed slowly, maybe too slowly for a monster movie, for an intelligent science-fiction movie it is perfect though. The ending is suitably mind-bending. The twists are what makes this film special, especially when we realise that it is the scientists in their dome who are really in an experiment.