Les Fourmis

This "television event" came out when bug movies were the vogue (yeah, that lasted about 15 minutes). I saw this when I was 8 years old, and, yes, back then it was creepy. A resort is overrun by evil ants that really don't like us humans too well. They proceed to blanket the resort and kill off many guests. A nude sleeping Suzanne Somers even gets it! The ants looked more like rice painted black, ultra campy. If you like old '70's disaster and/or bug films, it won't top your list...

Construction site unearths an army of toxic ants that engulf the neighbouring hotel. Construction Manager Foxworth and foreman Casey lead the charge to convince the owners of the impending danger, and then save the guests from imminent death.

Almost sounds exciting, and while it doesn't quite live up to its premise, a surprisingly good cast and competently handled action sequences contribute to a watchable entry in the "animal attack" film genre.

Foxworth plays the hero with macho determination, coming to the rescue of his girlfriend (Day-George) and soon-to-be mother-in-law (Loy) who are trapped in the besieged hotel, along with an assortment of other residents and ring-ins. Suzanne Somers gets star billing despite only being in a minor supporting role, while future star Brian Dennehy chimes in late in the piece as the fire brigade captain who must engineer an escape plan for the trapped victims.

Nothing fancy, no expensive special effects, Emmy-award winning performances or memorable dialogue, just the tried and tested disaster film formula, with a new element for excitement. The only real liability, is a somewhat bizarre (and equally absurd) climax ending that might leave the audience a little disappointed.

Disbelief aside, "Ants" is a reasonable way to spend an hour-and-a-half, and may leave you hesitant about dismissing the innocuous looking insects, next time they infest your kitchen sink.

Robert Foxworth plays construction crew foreman Mike Carr, who discovers a horde of poisonous killer ants after two of his men are attacked while working in a pit being dug near an old-fashioned hotel, the Lakewood Manor, which soon thereafter becomes the last refuge of him and a few other people trapped there as the ant army advances upward and onwards....how can they be stopped before they reach the top floor, where they will be trapped? Brian Dennehy and Suzanne Somers costar in this TV movie that remains watchable, with some suspense, but a story that is still quite clichéd and predictable; at least the ants were normal-sized for a change!

Ants is a TV film about a group of staffs and guest suddenly attacked breed of powerful 'pesticide' ants. As they slowly are encircled by them, they have no choice but to find solace higher and higher into the hotel until help arrives.

Insane AND such a stupid idea. Non-sensical and has the most mystifying origin stories of all Laced Animal Horror films. The idea of killer ANTS is such a choice to begin with. Bug Spray anyone? But I gave it Three stars anyway since its a film that knows the lack of sense it holds. Everything about is just nonsensical high camp fun. The right amount of overacting and right amount of competence.

Overall, silly to high heavens BUT watchable.

Ants! (1977)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A lakeside hotel is about to be sold off but before that can happen an outbreak of poison ants start killing people. This made for TV film is yet another in a long line of "when nature attacks" films but it's not too bad as long as you don't take it too serious. Suzanne Somers, Robert Foxworth, Lynda Day George, Brian Dennehy and Myrna Loy (!) all have pretty good parts in the film so the familiar cast certainly keeps things going, although all of them have seen better days. As with a lot of films like this, it's best to turn your brain off and just enjoy what's going on in front of your eyes. Once again we get a speech how this is all our fault due to the poisons we use to kill insects. Yes, we are to blame for the ant outbreak because we previously tried to kill them. While the story might be simple and rather brain dead, it does make for a mildly entertaining film. The special effects of all the ants are rather weak as in most cases it seems like something black is just sprinkled around to look like ants. There are a few scenes where we see close ups of real ants eating a butterfly but there's never anything too graphic. The biggest problem with the film is that the ants are never scary and not once did I feel threatened even though people were dying from them. AKA: It Happened at Lakewood Manor.