Them! (1954)

Release date: 1954-06-19
Country: USA
Language: English
Director: Gordon Douglas
Production Co: Warner Bros.
Genre: Horror, Science Fiction
Rating: 7.2/10
Length: 1h 34min

Storyline

In the New Mexico desert, Police Sgt. Ben Peterson and his partner find a child wandering in the desert and sooner they discover that giant ants are attacking the locals. FBI agent Robert Graham teams up with Ben and with the support of Dr. Harold Medford and his daughter Dr. Patricia 'Pat' Medford, they destroy the colony of ants in the middle of the desert. Dr. Harold Medford explains that the atomic testing in 1945 developed the dangerous mutant ants. But they also discover that two queen ants have flown away to Los Angeles and they are starting a huge colony in the underground of the city. When a mother reports that her two children are missing, the team and the army have a lead to follow. Will they arrive in time to save the children and destroy the colony?

Plot Keywords

new mexico, sandstorm, orphan, b movie, morse code, giant insect, title spoken by character, telegraph, flamethrower, shock, mutation, creature feature, panic, infestation, car phone, martial law, monster movie, social commentary, alcoholic, cyanide

Short Review

This science-fiction shocker has a well-plotted story [by George Worthington Yates, adapted by Russell Hughes], expertly directed and acted in a matter-of-fact style.