The ‘90s often get a bad rap with horror fans. After the numerous successful slashers and creature effects films of the ’80s, the ‘90s offered a different variety of horror fare. Though there were plenty of hits, hidden gems, and misunderstood classics, the ‘90s usually don’t get the kind of love that other decades get when it comes to horror. It’s time to change that.
Animal attack movies are a dime a dozen. It’s a tried-and-true sub-genre that usually delivers on a few base pleasures: fun conceptual structure, gnarly attack scenes, and a decent ensemble of actors (if you’re lucky). Thankfully, Ticks delivers in all three categories. And when it comes to those kill sequences? HOO BOY.
Okay, let’s get the setup out of the way. It’s actually a nifty one. A bunch of teenagers are sent to a wilderness retreat in order to undergo therapy for their various issues. Well, there also happens to be some marijuana farmers out in these woods and they’ve been using steroids to intensify their plants. One particular grower, Jarvis Tanner (genre stalwart Clint Howard), happens to see what those chemicals have done to the local tick population. Spoiler: it ain’t good. In no time at all, giant ticks are infesting the countryside and our ragtag group has to try and survive against them.
Let’s get some of the non-goopy stuff out of the way. The cast in this is surprisingly enjoyable. Part of that has to do with the presence of young stars like Seth Green and Alfonso Ribeiro. There’s always a novelty in seeing notable actors in low budget genre fare and Ticks is no exception. Both Green and Ribeiro showcase their unique brands of charisma and easily stand out from the rest of the cast. It’s also kind of cool to see Clint Howard and his father, Rance Howard, both show up in this. When you become a connoisseur of creature features, it’s always a treat when certain performers get to join in the fun.
It’s also important to highlight director Tony Randel. Horror lovers will best know him as the director of Hellbound: Hellraiser II, but I think we should look to another of his horror sequels to see what he brings to Ticks, and that movie is Amityville 1992: It’s About Time. That flick might end up in this column so I won’t go too in-depth about it, but the relevant comparison lies in Randel’s ability to inject a kinetic style into smaller productions. That’s certainly the case with Ticks. The opening credits sequence displays an excellent talent for establishing mood as the camera glides through all the disgusting machinery that causes the eventual tick mutation. And Randel clearly revels in the gory moments. He gives every bloody gag a good close-up and lingers on the nastiness for as long as he can.
Which brings us to the effects. In all honesty, Ticks is a serviceable little flick when it comes to most of its elements. But, what makes it stand out are the over-the-top and gleeful creature and gore effects. When you have a movie called Ticks, you expect some creepy crawly action, and there is genuine care taken to make the titular beasties come across as real creatures. The effects work by Doug Beswick is admirably gross. There are a few shots of ticks skittering across a floor that actually gave me an icky feeling. For such a low budget production, Ticks delivers on the promise of its title.
The biggest success in that regard is how the ticks infest people (and animals!). We see their skin pulsating like crazy and it’s always effective. And what’s especially great is that the movie builds up to a truly disgusting moment where a body explodes outward to reveal a human-sized tick (watch below!). There is no way this isn’t the best part of the movie. When it comes to absurd awesomeness, this moment takes the cake.
Ticks is a definite win for those of us who love creepy crawler cinema. It’s like a nastier, meaner take on Eight Legged Freaks (which is also great) that revels in all its revolting charms. If you’re in the mood for a gross-out flick, Ticks will scratch that itch.
Shout-out to John Squires (@freddyinspace) and Stephanie Crawford (@scrawfish) for putting this on my radar!
