Half the movie is stock military footage of jets being scrambled, anti-aircraft guns being fired, and so forth. There's even a little lecture, with graphic, about the air-defense radar and jet base installations guarding us from enemy attack.
The bug is sort of goofy. In flying shots, it seems immobile except for blurred wings. It does rock forward and back slightly as it flies. You can almost imagine it mumbling contentedly to itself, "Doop-de-doop-de-doop," as it moves through the air without any exertion.
The acting, direction, writing--what can you say? With creature features you're not talking Citizen Kane, but even so this movie is pretty bad.
As in so many creature features, our hero follows the big bug every step of the way, from discovery to combat to alerting the public to leading the final attack in the "Manhattan Tunnel." He sure gets around! Also, by being in so many places in such a short time and being multi-skilled to boot, it eliminates need to pay more actors.
Unlike the grand-daddy of all big bug movies, Them, this movie does not build a story about the bug acting the way a bug should, only bigger. The mantis roars like a maddened lion, for example. In Them, the writing very cleverly includes real details about ant behavior and then shows it taking place, much to everyone's horror.
The best scene is in the tunnel at the end of the movie, as the big bug gasps in its death throes. Suddenly you feel sorry for the guy. Possibly it's the only real drama in the picture.
The bug is sort of goofy. In flying shots, it seems immobile except for blurred wings. It does rock forward and back slightly as it flies. You can almost imagine it mumbling contentedly to itself, "Doop-de-doop-de-doop," as it moves through the air without any exertion.
The acting, direction, writing--what can you say? With creature features you're not talking Citizen Kane, but even so this movie is pretty bad.
As in so many creature features, our hero follows the big bug every step of the way, from discovery to combat to alerting the public to leading the final attack in the "Manhattan Tunnel." He sure gets around! Also, by being in so many places in such a short time and being multi-skilled to boot, it eliminates need to pay more actors.
Unlike the grand-daddy of all big bug movies, Them, this movie does not build a story about the bug acting the way a bug should, only bigger. The mantis roars like a maddened lion, for example. In Them, the writing very cleverly includes real details about ant behavior and then shows it taking place, much to everyone's horror.
The best scene is in the tunnel at the end of the movie, as the big bug gasps in its death throes. Suddenly you feel sorry for the guy. Possibly it's the only real drama in the picture.