Them! (Dir. Gordon Douglas, 1954)

Yes, I really enjoyed this movie Them! From the eerie beginning in the desert to the nutty entomologist Medford and his lovely daughter, this movie is a blast. If you are not aware, this is a nuclear movie about giant ants that threaten to wipe out humankind and our fight to stop them, which includes explosions, flame guns, and kids in peril.

The child with the catatonic stare walking aimlessly through the desert, the ravaged homes, the dead bodies that all lead to one thing, the invasion of giant ants! Very, very cool way to open this movie. Once a footprint is identified, the Medford’s are brought to the site for inspection. And though Medford is hesitant to reveal his kooky theory, they do in fact discover these large ants. They come up with a way to stop them, but not before they have spread around the globe.

One complaint, I would not risk the lives of millions, let alone the entire planet in attempts to rescue two children who may or may not be alive. That’s just too high a price to pay, or maybe I am just cold blooded. I would evaluate the situation though. And if these were my children, I might act differently. If I ever decide I want some of those… But as presented in the movie, I could not justify their actions, or the lives of the men it cost to save those children.

The ending is awesome. So watch this movie.