They Nest

A lot of fun is inhabited in this movie. The jokes are funny and the plot isn't there! 'Mosquito' and 'Ticks' are a lot like this film. I would also recommend trying them out too. A doctor takes a break from work after losing his ability to cut people open.(He's a Pathologist) He then gets on the wrong foot with a bunch of rednecks and for no reason at all some killer cockroaches come scuttling into town. What we are left with is just plain fun! I like this movie and you should aswell. 7 out of 10.

A rare species of African cockroaches turn up on an island in the US, infesting the homes and cavities of the local townsfolk. Recovering alcoholic surgeon, convalescing following a forced leave of absence, Thomas Calabro, has to compete with the doubting locals as well as the voracious bugs, when he discovers there may be a serious problem. His tempestuous relationship with a couple of the local hicks (most notably the chronically inebriated character of John Savage) causes some friction in the ensuing battle, leaving him to combat the threat with only the aid of the token town babe.

Reasonably good cast manage to inject some zip into this otherwise stock standard bug movie, with Dean Stockwell providing stoic support as the pragmatic local law enforcement, and John Savage just managing to not over-do it as an ostensibly harmless, yet antagonistic local bum (who somehow happens to control the island's electricity supply). The momentum is sometimes laboured, however when the siege eventually starts, there are sufficient thrills and shocks to please.

Picturesque locations and graphic special effects greatly support the film, which would otherwise be nothing more than just another bug infestation movie – there's nothing particularly original about "Creepy Crawlers", in fact, the method of gestation employed by the protagonists in this film, is very reminiscent of that used by the flesh-eating bugs of Roger Corman's "The Nest", almost some fifteen years its senior. Despite the lack of originality, and the fact that the film looks very much like a TV movie-of-the-week (which it was prior to a theatrical release), there's enough gore and suspense to sustain interest.

There is no mistaking the B-movie genre that this film neatly sits. The qualities of which will automatically make it loved by some, loathed by others, and for the majority, just exact a simple shrug of the shoulders.

I liked the film, the acting wasn't terrible, and in places could be classed as quite admirable. The characters themselves weren't original, but then I wasn't expecting any different, and the script didn't make me cringe, but it also remains forgettable.

The elements that did surprise, were the above par special effects and the score.

The bugs were honestly creepy and apart from anything else, a level of common sense was made about their appearance. They looked like bugs, they didn't have horns, they didn't have glowing eyes, they were perfectly normal bugs, uping the realism and therefore increasing the creeps.

The score by Vinny Golia is inventive, and although lacking a main theme, underscored the film to good effect, keeping the audience perfectly in sync with the director's intentions.

What the film did need.... humour. Yes they were jokes here and there, but none really hit the mark, and when you look at the B-movie horror monster genre, the films that become worthy of the term "Cult" usually contain copius amounts of laughs, for example, "Deep Rising" and "Lake Placid". That is by no means saying that if the script was more humourous it would elevate this film to "Cultdom", but it might have given it a helping hand.

Not at all scarey. The acting in this bug flick wasn't that bad, but haven't we all about had it with the lone hero going to a small town battling creatures as well as the locals(almost always so called "rednecks")? Story wasn't all that believable, but hey, I knew that going in. Pretty entertaining for a late night watch. Helluva lot better than watching anything on broadcast tv (can I get an Amen?). Would I rent it again, or buy it, I think not. But I would say that it was worth the $2.99 I paid to rent it for a week.

The movie Creepy Crawlers (They Nest) is probably one of the best, if not the best, made-for-TV movies ever made. The acting, story, directing, cinematography, special effects and visual effects are all top notch. It looks as if this film would have come out in theaters. Also for being a made-for-TV movie, it is quite bloody/gory, and has some very intense scenes. A must see film for anyone who likes creature movies, or rather, movies in general.

MPAA RATING: PG-13 for creature violence and peril.

NOTE ABOUT THE MPAA RATING: I was surprised that this movie ended up with a PG-13 rating. It is a rather intense and gory movie with scenes that seem more suitable in an R-rated movie. Consider this a very hard PG-13 rated film that somehow miraculously passed with a PG-13.

Final Grade: 9/10