"Whatever you do, don't let them take you to the sugar refinery."
Just finished watching Empire of the Ants. Actually, I started last night, and then my tv's wireless network adapter decided to go on the fritz and I spent time instead troubleshooting that to no avail. Anyway...
My god, the skakey cam! Can someone please make it stop! Seriously, any scene with the ant props, and there are many of them, are shot entirely with shakey cam. And its *SHAKEY* shakey cam too. It bugged me. I thought you guys were exaggerating it, but if anything, you weren't emphasizing how bad it is. Its readily apparent why they're doing it, the ant props aren't exactly moving otherwise.
Behold! Ant Vision!
As to the story, I was a little surprised how quickly the ants showed up. I'm no entomologist, but I'm pretty sure the ant species varies back and forth throughout the movie depending on the footage needed for each scene.
Now as to the twist, I liked it. I kind of wish I hadn't spoiled myself by reading the posts above before watching though. I think I enjoyed the time displacement twist aspect of it more, as you're expecting the freshly radioactive-waste exposed ants on the beach to be the ant-agonists. klen7 nailed the "Them!' meets "They Live!" analogy, and it had me thinking if this movie could be a candidate for a remake. I'm having thoughts of how the movie could be easily improved with much better effects and editing.
And what was up with the Joan Collins' death scene? It almost seemed like there should have been something more, like the final command pheromone where Joan would go save or bee the new queen or something.
To summarize, I, for one, welcome our new viewing poll winner. I'd like to remind them that as a trusted forum personality, I could be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their above-ground sugar refineries.