Not bad. William Fruet's Blue Monkey aka Insect is a cheap, yet slightly effective throwback to old school 1950s Sci-if horror with a hokey looking big bug terrorising a county hospital. However I thought the story's starting point of a contagious infestation was better handled, and way more fascinating than when it fell into the basic, one-note creature on the loose/search and destroy formula.
A prick from an exotic plant, causes an old man to collapse and while in hospital coughs up a parasitic cocoon. Obviously it mutates, with some help (mischievous kids + growth hormone) and gets loose.
While it won't win any awards for originality from its premise, as it doesn't go anywhere inventive, or overly exciting with its storytelling/or direction. Still this b-movie gets by on its comic spirit, mild gooey effects and the casts' straight-face commitment (not surprising when you have Steven Railsback and John Vernon) to the silly, slapdash material. And there's no shortage of jokey material, especially regarding the daily rounds of the E. R working its way into the creature/feature script. However there was a shortage of gross-out, and carnage, outside of the cocoon (ala Alien) shock and one head ripping jolt. It mainly favoured off-screen attacks, which was little and sneaky POV shots. Disappointing since the ideas brought up, namely involving the growing infestation and larva, could've made for some grisly, and chaotic fun. As demonstrated in the final 20 minutes of the mantis-like creature scurrying through shadowy underground tunnels and moodily blue lit hospital corridors causing an outright panic as the intensity picks up. Maybe limitations to the bug effects, which shows in some frames, meant they had to shoot around, or be selective to get the best results.
