By Geno McGahee
You really can’t go wrong with an insect horror movie. Bugs are creepy by nature. You are already ahead of the game. Nowadays, we see CGI bugs a lot and it’s probably because there are bug rights groups out there. I’m assuming that has to be the case. I would think real bugs are far cheaper to use than paying some dude to create them digitally. Movies like KINGDOM OF THE SPIDERS, THE SWARM, and ANTS set the standard that bugs are a pain in the ass and they can be deadly. That is why I kill any spider or centipede I see in my house. It’s got nothing to do with irrational fear. It’s all about safety.
With Made for TV films, you often get complete shit. The SyFy network has embraced their history of putting out garbage and have actually snuck in a few good ones. The times have drastically changed from the 1980s, when made for TV films were actually very good. With the amount of networks that cable provides, advertisers have options, and made for TV films became less profitable. So, when I realized that CREEPY CRAWLERS was a made for TV film, my expectations were low, but they actually took this production quite seriously and put forth a good effort. They wanted to make a good movie.
Dr. Ben Cahill (Thomas Calabro) is a surgeon that is having problems. His wife left him and he’s had issues with alcohol. It has impacted his work and he is unable to operate with shaky hands. He is released and goes to a house on an island that he and the ex-wife purchased to get away and to clear his head, but it won’t be easy. The house was owned by the Wald family and Jack Wald (John Savage) hates the fact that his family home has been bought out from under him. This creates immediate tension. Jack is also the only electrician on the island and when Ben has electrical issues, he’s fucked. Jack will not help him.
Adjusting to the island becomes easier when Ben meets Nell (Kristen Dalton). The two hit it off, but the island goons don’t like the romance. Jack especially does not like it. Now it appears that we have a fight over a girl and a house, but that ends when Ben plows (spoiler) into Jack with his truck, launching him fifty feet. Jack was a dead man walking though. He was infested with super roaches. These cockroaches found their way to this island and are feeding on humanity and you knew immediately that Jack had no chance for survival. The biggest asshole in horror films dies 99% of the time. On a rare occasion, they turn around and become a hero, but most of the time, they die and Jack was in for it and he got it. Poor Jack. So misunderstood.
Jack’s brother, Eamon (Tom McBeath), isn’t as smart as Jack, but he is twice as angry. He doesn’t think that the sheriff is doing enough and believes that Ben should be locked up. We all know somebody like Eamon…a big oaf that always wants to fight but can barely spell their own name. I am related to about a dozen of them. Sheriff Hobbs (Dean Stockwell) is on the case, but he can’t hold back the guys from going after the doctor. It was nice to see Stockwell in another role. He was the man in Quantum Leap. That show kicked the shit out of Sliders.
The bugs become a huge problem that the group of survivors must abandon the island. The roaches have taken to flight as they try to flee, increasing the suspense. The film ends as most horror films do…with room for a sequel.
CREEPY CRAWLERS was a really fun watch. The conflict between Thomas Calabro and John Savage was great and they worked off each other very well. It is relatable. How many family gatherings do you attend where the family bum wants to start some shit with one of the successful people in the family? I see it all the time, but then again, I have an overabundance of family bums. Kristen Dalton was also well cast as the tough lead and Stockwell…well, you just can’t go wrong. I highly recommend this film. It was fun and used a mixture of CGI, real bugs, and puppetry to get the point across.
Rating: 7.5/10
