Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
As a result of nuclear testing, gigantic, ferocious mutant ants appear in the American desert southwest, and a father-daughter team of entomologists join forces with the state police officer who first discovers their existence, an FBI agent and, eventually, the US Army to eradicate the menace, before it spreads across the continent — and the world.
Them! is the landmark giant-monster film that essentially defined the atomic-age creature feature genre. Its Novelty earns a strong 4 — it was the first major 'big bug' film and its serious, procedural approach to a fantastical premise was genuinely distinctive and influential, lending it a unique credibility that set it apart from imitators. The Plot is competent and well-structured for the genre, following a logical investigative-then-military escalation, earning a solid 3. Acting is workmanlike — James Whitmore and Edmund Gwenn bring believable gravitas to their roles, keeping it above average but not exceptional. Cinematography is atmospheric black-and-white work with effective desert landscapes and claustrophobic ant tunnel sequences, also a 3. The Ending — the storm drain climax — is tense and satisfying genre closure but not particularly surprising or resonant beyond its immediate thrills, landing at a 3.