Empire of the Ants (1977) User Reviews (122)

It's not THAT bad...

[tom_koopa · 5/10 · 28 September 2009]

In my opinion the rating on IMDb for this movie is a little harsh. Okay, it's not a masterpiece and the effects are a little hokey. The acting isn't superb, but it isn't garbage either.

But you have to look at this film with an open mind. Don't take it too seriously. I think it's a nice adaptation of H.G Well's story.

There's good character development and story; and the ants could have been so much worse. Of course they look fake, but it isn't terrible to look at.

Ant-vision, cheesy ominous music prior to attacks and a strange ending don't improve the quality of the movie though.

All in all, if you like insect-attack movies with a few strange twists and character story, go check this one out.

5 out of 10 ants; ehh stars.

A long way from brilliant

[The_Void · 5/10 · 17 September 2007]

Shortly before seeing this film, I saw Bert I. Gordon's other giant killer animal flick, The Food of the Gods, and on the basis of these two films, I've discovered two things about a director I previously knew nothing about; first of all, he obviously enjoys making films about giant animals, and secondly; he has very little in the way of directorial talent. My main complaint with The Food of the Gods, in spite of the fact that I knew it was going to be a somewhat less than brilliant film, was the fact that it was boring - unforgivable since it's about giant animals! The plot we have here is very similar to the earlier film, as a bunch of people travel to a secluded place and end up being attacked by animals which are larger than normal. This time, the group is lead by the scheming Joan Collins, who leads a bunch of property buyers to Florida on the promise of some bargain property. The property turns to be fake, Joan Collins a fraud and that barrel of toxic waste washed up on the beach has given the ants a growth spurt!

The obvious films to compare to this one are fellow giant ant movies such as the classic 'Them' and the interesting, but fairly boring Sci-Fi Phase IV, and this film isn't as good as either as those. The special effects are important in a film like this, and they're even worse than those seen in The Food of the Gods. The ants are just enlarged shots of real ants superimposed onto the screen, along with a couple of puppets to fill the gaps. As you can probably imagine, this doesn't look good; and it's hard to be convinced by a film with effects like these - cheap or not! The film stars Joan Collins, and she reaffirms what a shame it is that she went crazy with the plastic surgery as the pre-surgery Joan Collins is actually quite hot! The plot itself is nothing exciting - just your average monster flick stuff - running from the monsters, fighting the monsters etc. There's also a subplot involving the ants' pheromones that doesn't come off well at all. Overall, Empire of the Ants just misses the 'fun bad film' mark and ends up just being a bad film! It's not completely terrible - and it's better than The Food of the Gods - but I still don't recommend it!

Runs Too Long

[gavin6942 · 5/10 · 21 May 2017]

Based very loosely on the short story "Empire of the Ants" by H. G. Wells, the film involves a group of prospective land buyers led by a land developer, pitted against giant, mutated ants.

This was one of Bert Gordon's final films, and from a technical standpoint it is among his best. The production value looks much higher than his earlier work, and the star power of the cast is evident. The ants, while still relying on a few cheap effects, are overall pretty effective -- though why must they be screeching the entire time? But really, what makes this only a "good" film rather than a "really good" film is the length. This is clearly a 60 or 70-minute film stretched out to 90 minutes, and that allows for the ultimate sin to creep in: boredom.

How You Going to Keep Them Down on the Ant Farm...After They Have Seen This Film!

[BaronBl00d · 3 January 2002]

Mr. BIG(Bert I. Gordon) does it again! He creates a truly bad science fiction film with amazingly poor special effects and some of the schlockiest character acting performances and dialogue around. Supposedly based on a story by H. G. Well's, The Empire of the Ants is about how a group of people go to one of those shin-digs put on by real estate folks hoping you will buy some of their resort property after drinking some of their third-rate drinks and eating some of their crummy snacks. Joan Collins is running the show, hoping to sell all the people who came by boat to her real estate project a lot. Seems she is not a wholly reputable businesswoman, yet she has no knowledge of the fact that giant ants that grew from a leaking can of nuclear waste have taken over the resort and begin feeding on her guests, first in pairs. In one of the more ridiculous scenes in the film, giant ants run on the dock, jump on the boat, attack one of the crew, and then cause the skipper, hardily played by Robert Lansing, to set fire to the ship and leave the survivors no recourse but to trek back by foot. The journey back causes lots of death and destruction. The most ridiculous scene in the film has an aged couple hiding in a cabin and then coming out to see these giant ants all over the hut and on the ground standing. I almost fell over laughing at the awful special effects! Finally, the remaining few reach a town that secretly has been taken over by giant ants that spray a mist over people and make them do their bidding. The second half of the film breaks any possibility that you take the film seriously. The first half, although filled with many a ridiculous moment, at least has some suspense and gives the actors a little screen time to show that some of them actually know how to act. The second half is a hodge podge of poor script-writing, bad character acting, and some more real cheesy special effects. The film is another testament to Mr. BIG's ability to create some of the campiest, bad sci-fi around. Despite all this negativity, the film is a load of unintended laughs!

so absolutely horrible it's a must-see!

[planktonrules · 1/10 · 23 March 2006]

Apart from the even worse I DON'T WANT TO BE BORN (also starring the great Joan Collins), this is the absolute worst film she ever made (even worse than THE BITCH). It's so bad and so unremittingly awful that it's a lot of fun to watch--particularly with friends. I'm sure that when Ms. Collins made it big on the show DYNASTY, she wanted to buy up every copy of these films, but they remain as a testament to just how low her career had sunk in the 1970s.

EMPIRE OF THE ANTS is about a Realtor (Collins) trying to sell swampland to a group of tourists. Together, the entire cast looked like actors that couldn't quite make the cut to get on LOVE BOAT. Well, she takes these suckers on an outing but instead of just being a three-hour tour of the area, all hell breaks loose and they are chased by evil, enormous and incredibly fake-looking ants. Okay, so now you are probably thinking "this sounds horrible--it can't possibly get any stupider"--well, if you ARE thinking that, then are you in for a surprise!!! The ants don't kill them all once they are captured. Nope. Instead, the ants use super mind control to turn them and hundreds of others into slaves to work at their sugar factory!!! Will the ants win and Earth be doomed to be turned into a giant Domino Sugar plantation? Well, tune it to see for yourself!! It's best to see it and be forewarned!

Typical and run-of-the-mill monster movie by expert Bert I Gordon from a story originated by master storyteller H. G. Wells

[ma-cortes · 4/10 · 26 March 2021]

A fake land-seller : Joan Collins attempts to sell bogus real state to a group of innocent buyers : John David Carson , Robert Lansing , Jacqueline Scott , Pamela Shoop, Robert Pine at a location that is being run over by mutant giant ants contamined by radioactive waste. After ingesting an unknown radioactive substance , ants become huge and threatening the occupants of the remote Everglades in Florida . For they shall inherit the earth..sooner than you think ! . It's no picnic ! ..

Routine and regular monster movie about habitual issue concerning a group of nuclear , enormous , unfriendly ants stalking a real state dealer and prospective buyers of undeveloped oceanfront property. This is a cheap , humdrum version rendition of the H. G. Wells novel by suffering from lousy interpretations and an embarrassing lack of imagination. Fakey special effects might have been decent in the Sixties or Seventies , but they just don't cut it today. This is the follow-up to "Food of the Gods" 1976 also directed by Bert I Gordon with Marjoe Gortner, Ida Lupino, Pamela Franklin , Ralph Meeker . The motion picture was written , produced and directed by Bert I Gordon and he made the special effects effects too, in his usual primitive and traditional style . Bett realized various Sci-Fi , Fantasy and monsters movies , such as: " Cyclops , Food of the gods , Viillage of the Giants, Magic Sword , Picture Mammy Dead , Big Bet , and Witching, the Necromancy" . This is not nice enough even to be deemed a camp movie , as H. G Wells's story is trashed in this ordinary movie , in fact he must somersault in his grave every time somebody sees this below average rendition of one of his more thrilling stories. Rating : 4/10. Below average .

Good and bad. Mostly bad.

[tomfsloan · 4/10 · 4 October 2018]

First the good. The special effects were actually not bad. Much better than this movie deserved. The bad. It was like watching a Hanna Barbera cartoon with humans. Just like in cartoons, they do not see what's right in front of them until the camera pulls back to a wide shot. Then, suddenly, the characters can now see the ants! Wow. If they only used a wide angle lens the whole time, then maybe the humans could be saved. But it's a lousy movie so who cares.

This ant movie should be stepped on!

[jimdugger · 1/10 · 25 October 2000]

Whoe! I am a man who isn't quick to point out the bad in something, but this movie is horrid! Horrible, I mean downright horrible special effects and real putrid acting plus the many things that would not possibly ever happen in real life or even imaginary make this one of, if not, the worst movie I have ever seen in my entire life! I stayed up late one night, bored out of my mind, searching the channels and found this movie. Now I like older and even corny movies to a point, but this movie was so bad, that even after the point where the ants attack and figured it would start to get interesting, it was killing me - and I was not even in the movie! I FORCED myself to watch this movie to not only see how much I could stand since I was bored anyway, but to see it entirely so I can be totally correct when I say it is the worst movie to ever see. The part that really, really irked me was when this older couple, knowing darn well that there where killer ants everywhere eating everything in sight, decided while running away from the ants (while the other characters were trying to find a boat and go down the river to escape the ants) they were going to take a different route and go DEEPER in the woods - how idiotic was that! I even said to myself "I wonder how they would escape since the old couple could barely walk much less run even though they always kept within seeing distance of the others". I figured the director would kill them off because it was slowing down an already slow pace to the movie - but not like that! They did not even show the ants eat them! The actors probably died before that scene since they were so old! The sounds of the ants sounded like children screaming and when they showed a close up of the ants grabbing some of the people, it looked more fake than the guy who wore the rubber suit for "Godzilla"! Man, this one was bad! I would only recommend showing this movie to future directors to show what NOT to do in making a movie! Ridiculous!

'Scuse me, while I climb the sky...

[counterrevolutionary · 1/10 · 13 January 2003]

One of the worst, most pointless movies ever made. Worth watching only for the shot of "giant" ants climbing around on a small photo intended to represent a large building. Possibly the worst special effects shot I've ever seen--and I've seen *Plan 9 From Outer Space*.

Respect the ant, dammit!!

[Coventry · 7/10 · 17 December 2004]

An eminent intro with a neat voice-over makes us aware that ants actually are as sophisticated as humans (if not more sophisticated). This is the perfect introduction to one of the most grotesque creature-features ever unleashed upon horror cinema. Bert Gordon's Empire of the Ants, ladies and gentlemen! In this story, supposedly adapted from an H.G. Well's tale, the ravishing Joan Collins stars as a fancy estate agent who tries to sell island properties to a bunch of phonies pretending they have money. The joy is barbarically interrupted by a colony of humongous ants! The monstrous bugs have mutated into unearthly beings due to toxic waste (figures…). EofA is often categorized as one the worst 70's shlockfests, partly because it's from the hand of Gordon. But try to look at it as pure fun and cult entertainment that doesn't require brain activity. It's a troop of hairy, over-sized and – especially – cheaply created ants eating people one by one. Nothing more, nothing less. Still, the island location is eerie and the sound effects are more or less decent. Joan Collins, one of my personal favorite actresses, is great as the bitchy broad. The rest of the cast are stereotypes, like the loser turned hero, the old wise guy the egocentric coward (who nearly always dies spectacularly) and the cute babe. I hardly consider the overuse of all these clichés to be obstacles since I never expected to see a masterpiece to begin with. The only real crap elements are the weak dialogs and the complete lack of atmosphere and tension. Empire of the Ants does feature a brilliant, typical B-movie twist near the end, though. But that's just my opinion and I'm sure that most people will find it too stupid for words. Nevertheless, Empire of the Ants is a must-see if you're in to "big bug"-movies. This sub-genre of horror is going through a revival these days and it's essential to watch the influential gems that once started it all. Also recommended: "Tarantula", "The Bees", "Frogs", "Phase IV" (more ants), "Kingdom of the Spiders" and "The Deadly Mantis".

Giant ants rule the island.

[michaelRokeefe · 3/10 · 11 May 2002]

Boy, my boy. Laughable 'sci-fi' that is a hoot. The enticing Joan Collins plays a shady real estate agent along with a boat load of prospective property buyers attacked by giant mutant ants. The queen ant is housed inside a sugar plant/warehouse where she hypnotizes the residents of the small, remote island community. The special effects are probably up to par for the mid 70's. But this thing is so silly it hurts. Not the best effort from a talented cast that includes Albert Salmi, Jacqueline Scott, Robert Lansing, Robert Pine and John David Carson.

A fun piece of 70's drive-in horror junk

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 14 March 2019]

Slick and conniving scam artist real estate agent Margaret Fraser (a respectable performance by the ever-classy Joan Collins) tries to sell some bogus property to a motley assortment of folks on an island that's been overrun by lethal giant ants.

Boy, does this gloriously ghastly low-budget atrocity possess all the right wrong stuff to qualify as a real four-star stinkeroonie: Ham-fisted (mis)direction by Bert I. Gordon, a laughably ludicrous premise that's played ridiculously straight, hilariously horrendous (far from) special effects, clumsily staged ant attack scenes, and even a heavy-handed pro-ecology message on the dangers of illegally dumped radioactive waste all ensure that this honey rates as a choice tasty slice of prime cinematic Velveeta. The able cast do their proverbial best with the absurd material: Robert Lansing as tough two-fisted boat captain Dan Stokely, John David Carson as dashing deadbeat Joe Morrison, Albert Salmi as the brainwashed Sheriff Art Kincade, Pamela Susan Shoop as the foxy Coreen Bradford, Jacqueline Scott as the poised Margaret Ellis, Robert Pine as sniveling coward Larry Graham, and Edward Power as the shifty Charlie Pearson. A total schlocky hoot and a half.

Worth a look...but nothing to take seriously.

[Aaron1375 · 7/10 · 7 March 2003]

This is my favorite giant insect movie. I don't know what it is about this one, but every time I see it on AMC or where ever I have to watch. The effects are bad and the plot isn't the best in the world, but not every movie has to be great to be fun to watch. Usually, in movies of this type the monsters (in this case giant ants) are rarely seen cause they look so bad. In this one, though, they don't care what they look like and they are more than happy to show us this cheesy ants...sometimes the old regular ants projected on the background, while at others really bad puppets. The plot has these people looking at vacation plots...you know timeshare stuff. While touring the facility, some members disappear and then the ants attack. They have to get away from them and go down a river on a boat to do so. This is my favorite part of the movie, going down the river. Lots of the cast are taken out here. Unfortunately, it ends rather weak as they all get to this town that has some sort of connection to the ants, but what? I would have preferred this one to stay with the river and wood scenes rather than the town part of the plot, but overall this movie is good fun.

Crazy Ants

[Stanjaudit · 4/10 · 12 October 2012]

This movie is not as bad as some reviewers have made it out to be. Professional actors are paid to act and many do that by studying roles and even going so far as to participate in the role if possible. Sometimes it may take a few days, weeks or months. To criticize that effort is just not right. If one does not like a movie because of its genre then so state it.

Empire of the ants is plausible. It takes thousands of ants to keep the hive going and feed the queen so that the drones can mate with the queen ant so she can lay her eggs producing more worker ants and drone ants. As far as growing to huge size a leap of movie faith must be made. All the rest is very plausible. Ants communicate by way of pheromones so the can recognize one another and the trail back to the nest. It's also an excepted fact that ants can carry many times their own weight. As far as spraying a mist on the other ants it is simply the pheromone which the queen ant gives off so she can control the other ants in the nest.

This movie allegorically uses the humans as ants as they provide the sugar which they need to keep the queen ant fed. The.humans return to receive the queens pheromone spray so she may keep them under control. Well our four heros discover what is going on and devise a way to destroy the ants and flee for freedom. A good movie, wheel worth the time to watch.

Really Big Ants

[Michael_Elliott · 3 March 2013]

Empire of the Ants (1977)

** (out of 4)

Mr. Big delivers another "big bug movie" with this one dealing with ants. Joan Collins plays a real estate con woman who takes a group of people to the future sight of a "great" beach front property. What they don't know is that a company has been pouring toxic waste in the ocean and unfortunately for them one barrel has found its way on shore and cute little ants have gotten into it. Soon these little creatures are now huge and eating humans. EMPIRE OF THE ANTS got the green light, I'm sure, because Gordon's previous film THE FOOD OF THE GODS turned out to be a decent hit. You really could have called this thing THE FOOD OF THE GODS PART II because they're quite similar but then again both are quite similar to the type of "big" movies Gordon was making in the previous two decades. There's certainly nothing new or original here but if you enjoy Gordon's films then I really see no reason why you won't enjoy this one. As you'd expect, the special effects are quite laughable with Gordon using the same technique in 1977 that he was much earlier in his career. Often times it seems as if the ants are walking in thin air and at other times you can obviously see the rear projection. Most films would be dead in the water with such bad effects but I think it adds some charm because of how serious Gordon treats them. Most directors would know these effects are bad and try to downplay them or hide them but not Gordon. He shows these bad effects with his head held high and it at least gives the viewer some entertainment. Collins and the rest of the cast do what they can with the material they're given but the humans certainly aren't the high point of the film. I think the film would have benefited from being at least ten-minutes shorter as things really start to drag during the final act.

Close Encounters of the Hymenoptera Kind

[moonspinner55 · 2/10 · 3 April 2017]

Joan Collins shows true grit facing down giant radioactive ants in this muddy monster-fest directed, co-written and co-produced by Bert I. Gordon. An island hideaway turns into the ultimate hell for vacationers after ants have grown to enormous proportions, terrorizing the tourists and sending Collins and crew on the run. Despite good photographic effects by cinematographer Reginald Morris--not to mention a touch of class provided by Joan herself--the results are pretty ridiculous. Based on an H.G. Wells story, the film's third act laughably tries sneaking in sort of an "Invasion of the Body Snatchers"-type plot twist--and one is nearly inclined to give the picture some extra points for its moxie. It isn't art, but then it doesn't strive to be anything other than a dopey entertainment. As for Collins, she performs with conviction; hopefully she cashed a paycheck somewhat larger than the ants. * from ****

Not totally without value

[oceanave · 5/10 · 3 February 2006]

Bert Gordon gave this film a good shot - and the results were not altogether bad. It was pretty well cast, too. What really kills it is the cinematography and some of the staging. The ant attacks are just not convincing and the special effects are horrid (especially the boat blowing up). The leads do an OK job, but the script just had tons of dead air and there's not much good dialogue. The bit where Margaret Ellis (played well by Jacqueline Scott) reminisces in the boat about her being fired after 20 years of working for the same boss is nicely delivered, but falls painfully flat. Things perk up a bit when Albert Salmi comes in as the sheriff. I guess Joan Collins' character got what she deserved in the end, but she doesn't seem like a truly evil person. Some sense of fulfillment is reached in the end when the two couples (seemingly in love) manage to escape. Still, a good drive-in flick and the whole set-up of the "real estate sales outings" seemed to be popular in the late 70s/early 80s when the market was really starting to boom. I guess I like this flick because four of the actors (Jacqueline Scott, Albert Salmi, Robert Lansing, Irene Tedrow) starred in episodes of "The Twilight Zone" and this movie certainly has elements of that great TV series. Bert Gordon's daughter, Susan, also starred in a "Zone" episode.

full on B-movie

[SnoopyStyle · 4/10 · 12 May 2017]

The movie starts with radioactive wastes being dumped into the ocean and washed ashore onto the Florida coast. A toxic leak turns simple ants into giant monsters. Unscrupulous real estate agent Marilyn Fryser (Joan Collins) is trying to sell inaccessible coastal swamp land to a boat full of potential suckers. The fake development turns out to the site of the mutant giant ants.

This is supposedly based on the H.G. Wells short story. It is a B-movie all the way through. The physical ants are terribly fake. The in-camera special effects are old fashion. The main problem is the lackluster group, both characters and actors. The second tier names aren't rising to the challenge. They are given bad dialogue and the characters are hopelessly unimpressive. They don't even bother picking up a stick to fight back and are always shocked to suddenly see the ants right next to them. They reach civilization and that's when the story gets stupid.

Tacky, low budget monster movie

[Leofwine_draca · 5/10 · 7 July 2016]

Bert I. Gordon is one of the leading purveyors of quality "bad" entertainment and - other than his dodgy and unpredictable '80s offerings, which ranged from time travel stories to softcore pornography - you can always guarantee that you're going to get some laughable back-projected menace fighting mankind somewhere in all of his movies. EMPIRE OF THE ANTS is no exception, a middling '70s-style "nature revolts" shocker in which ants grow huge and menace mankind, not by radiation as the '50s would have it, but instead by toxic pollution. Quite why what looks like a barrel of mercury would cause ants to mutate is beyond me but hey, who's watching for the storyline anyway? The predictable, action-orientated narrative is merely an excuse to get a B-movie bunch of expendables trapped in an isolated location and picked off one by one by the menacing insects.

The cast is an amusing one, presided over by daytime TV queen Joan Collins in one of her last no-budget exploitation quickies before going on to better (or worse, in the trash fan's opinion) things. Collins is playing a greedy and ruthless developer with a cold heart, and her fate is always sealed. The rest of the party consist of a creepy would-be rapist who runs away after watching a friend die in need (no prizes for guessing what's in store for HIM), an elderly couple who take refuge in an outhouse (!) only to emerge and find the place literally swarming with mutant bug life - a hilarious moment here - a young couple with good looks and the grizzled, earring-sporting salty sea dog whose own boat explodes in a sudden and surprising display of pyrotechnical ineptitude.

The ants themselves are rather disappointing, especially considering that the same piece of stock footage is used over and over again for the poorly-done back projected scenes, which look even worse in colour than Bert's cheapie black-and-white movies of the '50s. The moments in close-up with the model heads are also cringe-worthy and a few splashes of blood here and there don't provide much of a gore content. The film quickly becomes predictable and inane, with our characters running from one situation to the next and doing so many stupid, clichéd things, like running off on their own to provide the next human snack, that the whole affair is best treated as a comedy rather than a would-be serious horror film. But perhaps Bert had his tongue in cheek all along? It's difficult to say, but as a so-bad-it's-good film viewing experience this takes some beating.

The film claims to be based on an original story by H. G. Wells. Having not read the original tale in question I can't say how closely it sticks to the story, but my obvious guess is that it doesn't, not by a long shot. In fact the only time it looks to break from the man-vs-nature fight/flight is during the silly climax, in which it transpires that the queen ant is attempting to control mankind with a laughable conspiracy-style angle to the proceedings. The low budget is always evident throughout, no matter how much Gordon will go to try and disguise it, yet the director's enthusiasm for his movie makes it enjoyable, if tacky, viewing - much like the rest of his offerings.

Poor Joan

[BandSAboutMovies · 5/10 · 21 October 2020]

If you love Joan Collins, you have to get used to her being abused. She gets a demonic baby that doesn't want to be born, she's choked out by Santa after getting that blood out of that nice white fur carpet and then, she gets gassed by a queen aunt. It's not easy being Joan.

This American-International Picture says that it was inspired by H.G. Wells short story of the same name, but it's really just a nature gone wild thanks to man movie, but I'm not saying that like it's a bad thing. I mean, how many movies have giant ants that blast humans with clouds of fog that take over their minds?

We watch as polluted materials get loose in the swamp, just as land developer Marilyn Fryser (Joan Collins) brings a bunch of new clients to see her beachfront property. The land is worthless, of course, but then an army of giant ants busts in on the scene and everyone flees for their lives.

As if that wasn't bad enough, it turns out that the ants use pheromones from the queen to take over an entire town and the sugar factory there, as they prepare to do the same to the world.

Beyond Ms. Collins, this movie also has Pamela Shoop (Nurse Karen!), Robert Pine (who was in The Day of the Locust, a movie that disappointed me as a kid because there were no giant locusts), Jacqueline Scott (William Castle's Macabre), Albert Salmi (Superstition), Robert Lansing (who should know all about nature on the loose, thanks to being in Day of the Dolphin and Creature from Black Lake) and Robert Lansing (who was in a ton of TV, including playing Control on The Equalizer).

This was directed by Bert I. Gordon, the master of process shots to achieve giant creatures menacing actors. That said, he also used large rubber ant parts, which Joan Collins hated, as she said that they scratched her.

Joan gets Ants in her pants

[neil-douglas2010 · 7/10 · 23 April 2022]

Nowhere as near as bad as I thought it was gonna be. True it's a B movie but that's where some of it's charm lies. Joan Collins plays a property seller and she seems to be a bit of a bitch ( nothing new there then for Joan), but quickly the dream of selling property turns into a nightmare with the appearance of Giant Killer Ants. Fast paced and action packed this is a definite crowd pleaser.

My my, you ants have disappointed us.

[PeterMitchell-506-564364 · 5/10 · 23 January 2013]

Here's another of these creature films, like Alligator, Eight Legged Freaks, Rats. Here they're an infestation of ants mutatated into sizes of monstrous proportion. Sleazy scammy real estate agent played with impressive acting status by John Collins, who I can't believed popped up in this, becomes one of a hunted group on one of her tours, by these killer ants, the photography of them, a marvel to watch. Yeah, she's fantastic, doing what she does best, as shown from her Dynasty days, etc. The movie isn't. One, there isn't enough horror, suspense, and two, it takes a while for the film to get to where it's going. As a horror fan, you'll feel short changed by this one, but it is worth a look if you like these creature features. From a story by H.G. Wells.

Priceless 70s garbage

[Boyo-2 · 8/10 · 25 August 2004]

*Thousands of SPOILERS*

Joan Collins, wearing gaucho pants and boots, establishes herself as a bitch/whore in the opening three minutes. She's selling fake real estate to some of the dullest people ever born. She probably spent most of her paycheck on Band-Aids for the blisters on her feet. The entire cast spends half the movie drenched, but they dry off quickly enough. You'd better like what everyone is wearing, cause no one changes.

You're treated to dialogue like:

the Old Lady: "All we wanted to do was enjoy the rest of our lives. Is that bad?" (you don't see The Old Couple get killed; I think user Troy got it right when he said dementia set it for them at the perfect moment. Plus he pointed out that crazy megaphone!!)

Someone else generic says "This turned out to be one helluva vacation", someone else says "Its not fair this should happen to me" and a character responds to the querie "What about Christine?" with the answer "She didn't make it."

The attacks mainly consist of heightened music, the camera guy bobbing the camera up and down to make the ants look as though they are moving. Throw some water dyed red on their face, and you're less one more cast member.

There was an intentionally funny moment that deserves mention. Two of the survivors are on the street and hear a sound like the ants are approaching, but its just a kid riding a Big Wheels.

The end must be seen to be believed, but it consists of a sugar factory, a queen ant with gas, zombie townies and the best line in the movie.."They are superior"

H.G. Wells is spinning in his grave. I love this movie but obviously do not have a ton of respect for it.

Regardless of anything else, I think we should all raise a glass to Warren Estes, who is listed in the end credits as 'Ant Co-Ordinator'..who else ever held that job on a set? Thanks Warren, thanks to all who make trash cause it has its place, too. 8/10.

This Is A Smart Movie

[sambase-38773 · 7/10 · 13 January 2023]

People like to call this movie "junk" and "garbage" and "worthless". Wrong. This is a smart movie. Okay, so it's not Star Wars. But so what? Okay, so it's not JAWS. But so what? It's Empire of the Ants. And that's what it is. So get over yourself and get over your superior attitude.

Popcorn! This movie is made for popcorn and root beer. And don't forget the candy. And don't forget to brush your teeth.

In addition to being a horror/monster movie this movie is a smart take down of the real estate business. The opening scenes make that very clear. Real estate is one of the most crooked businesses in the entire world. And this movie rips it to shreds.

But, of course, it's also about the ants. The ants look pretty good for 1977. They really do. The special effects are just fine for 1977. Don't expect 2023 CGI special effects in 1977. If you do then you're a moron.

The characters are wonderful and they are played very realistically by wonderful actors. And there is a gorgeous woman. That's always a must in a horror/monster movie.

"Stink Bug" would have been a more honest title...

[Jonny_Numb · 3/10 · 19 February 2008]

There is a reason why Bert I. Gordon's American-International cheapies were paid more lip service than the works of Ed Wood on the now-defunct Satellite of Love: the man carries the dishonorable title of being one of the most inept directors of low-budget schlock. But whereas stuff like "The Amazing Colossal Man" (a man turned giant by atomic testing) and "Beginning of the End" (Peter Graves vs. giant grasshoppers) had a certain charm reflective of the 1950s' "high- concept/low-budget" brand of sci-fi, "Empire of the Ants" is a bottom-feeder from start to finish, trying desperately to capture the low-grade magic of a bygone era. The only real merit of "Ants" is its nostalgia value--yes, I would watch this as a child and be utterly terrified of those bloodthirsty, radiation-grown buggers; years later, the puppet heads being shaken off-camera are less than impressive (as is Gordon's excessively shaking camera during the attack scenes), as is the stock footage blown up to make the ants tower over our human protagonists. The exposition scenes are painfully awkward, the dialog mostly atrocious, and the performances reflect this (with dismal results). The film is padded out with nonsensical clichés (the old couple who wanders off for no reason; the girl who sprains her ankle; another who gets snagged on a branch) and incredible lapses in logic (why can't our zeroes see or hear a cluster of ants that are mere feet away?), which culminates in a third act that apparently tries to wax philosophical in the vein of H.G. Wells' original story (which I haven't read) but falls flat on its face. "Empire of the Ants" is an interesting epitaph for a genre that has long since passed, but its best possible fate will probably be drunken viewing at your next house party.