Ticks (1993)

   

Directed by: Tony Randell

Written by: Brent V. Friedman

Starring:


Seth Green .... Tyler Burns
Peter Scolari .... Charles Danson
Rosalind Allen .... Holly Lambert
Virginya Keehne .... Melissa Danson
Ami Dolenz .... Dee Dee Davenport
Ray Oriel .... Rome Hernandez
Dina Dayrit .... Kelly Mishimoto
Alfonso Ribeiro .... Darrel 'Panic' Lumley
Michael Medeiros .... Jerry
Berry Lynch .... Sir
Clint Howard .... Jarvis Tanner

Special Appearance:

Rance Howard .... Sheriff Parker

Release Date:
Limited Theatrical: June 17, 1993 (Haarlem, Netherlands)

 
Rating:

 

A group of teens are camping out in Northern California with the main camp counsellor Charles Danson (Peter Scolari) to have an understanding with one another. But yet they are encountered by two rednecks named Jerry (MIchael Medeiros) and Sir (Berry Lynch) who are growing fields of marijuana and don't like anyone on their territory.
Also this creates a bunch of ticks growing mutant and feating on anything in which everyone is having a major struggling battle against these huge deadly insects.

 

The beginning of the film looked fairly interesting to watch in which we spot a dweeby kid named Tyler being disturbed about something which seems to be a nice start to the story here as well as him talking towards a gangster looking type thug named Darrell in which it looks impressive when he takes out his switchblade and it's underneath an overpass in the mean area of Los Angeles which looked impressive here.
Later on we spot a strange backwoods person named Jarvis Tanner experimenting with a bear trap in which this of course looks suspenseful watching this imagining if he misused it and how painful that would be as well as a nice camera shot rolling in on a hamster in a cage which leaves an impression that something good isn't going to happen here. Also there's a good moment with him peeking towards an area where he spotted something skittering away and then it leaps out which is a nice jumping moment for sure. Also it does look intense when he's caught in his bear trap and we spot giant larva falling on his face which looked gross and definetely shocking to find out what will happen here.

We spot many corny and cheesy situations like when the gang are heading to camp and we spot two weird hillbilly rednecks Jerry and Sir approaching them strangely as there's cheesy one liners on all of this.
There's even some creepy situations when someone goes into the cabin and spots a large larva and stabs it with goo spilling out as this seemed interesting to spot here.
Another good creepy situation is when we spot Tyler trying to get something off of Melissa's back which we spot is some sort of a larva and then a giant tick clings on and they both panic in which this looked realisitically scary for anyone who's afraid of insects and thinking about how big they are too.
The film even offers some good shocking moments when Darrell spots his dog suddenly moving strangely like having a seizure with the body bulging up which is a perfect shocking horror moment here. Later on there's some nice touching moments with the rest sympathising for him after discovering what had happened in which this seems to have a good change of heart towards him that he is not such an obnoxious gangster like everythone had thought here.
Also we spot a moment with a shy girl named
Kelly Mishimoto not saying a word but then we hear her talking towards Melissa in which was a nice change to see what she has to say as well as a scene on them fishing and catching something and then they go to the end of the fishing line to try and get what is hard to reel up as this definetely gives you a creepy sinking feeling that it's not anything good here.
Things start to bring up more scares when a person at a lab tries to check out the dead dog and uses a needle in which she has a hard time getting the needle out in which we have a jumping moment on a tick springing out as well as everyone trying to close a door to prevent it from escaping in which this keeps you in terror when everyone in the lab tries to find it and snuff it out.
More intense and disturbing moments when Darrell is in pain and things are moving in his body as you wonder what the hell is happening here. Also there's suspenseful moments when he is attacked by the two rednecks Jerry and Sir attacking him and trying to act evilly manipulative towards him in which this almost seems to pay off a scene in Deliverance excpet for the rape scene. However there's a perfect good twist her with Darrell using his switchblade to stab one of them since it seems to pay off well on a gangster defending himself from nastier people.
Things seem to become a little more adventureous as we spot some creepy hallucinations from certain people as well as spotting a forest fire happening. Plus great struggling moments with everyone trying to stay hidden in the cabin while the ticks try to find their way in. There's even a real intense and terrifying moment when we spot a bigger tick crawling out of Darrell's dead body in which this was supposed to look scary and it succeeds a little bit and seemed necessary since in these types of film a quarter way through we spot something bigger and more terrifying.
Bottom line is that this film had alot of scary and shocking moments but at the same time quite cheesy and pointless too. It can be a fun movie to watch if you're in the mood for an early 90's horror flick as many of these one's were being made but yet not making a huge success. Plus some of the characters reminded me a few of them from the Sleepaway Camp series. This film seemed to do quite well on cable channel's when it arrived on VHS and could see why as it's kind of like a party flick for you and your friends to watch.

The acting is not too bad here in which lead actor Seth Green (Tyler Bates) had the right looks for someone who is innocent and kinda geeky too. But yet shows off a good courageous attitude in the flick which seemed pretty well done too. He brings off a good amount of energy into what he does into his role and proves to show off alot of nice characteristics into all of this. I found that he had some nice pizzaz here.
Peter Scolari (Charles Danson) also showed alot of nice spunk into his role and did his lines nicely. He also shows a good no nonsense attitude too along with having a nice anxious and strict behavior to top it all off. Plus he does a great job with his fast acting behavior and blocking too when the terror happens in which shows alot of good adrenaline too. He shows off alot of great characteristics as the level headed one of the group.
Rosalind Allen (Holly Lambert) stood out nicely as one of those passive types in which she does well in her soft speaking voice along with trying to show some good encouragement into what she does in the film. I found her part quite enjoyable into what she does here and pulls off a good attitude into what she does in the flick.
Virginya Keehne (Melissa Danson) shows off her part perfectly as one of those seemingly like stand offish types till you get to know her which she portrays this pretty cleverly here. She also does well showing a nice caring type of attitude whenever she had to do this. Plus she does well with her screaming and scared reactions when certain terrors start to hit her. She certainly has a great freaked out energy when it comes to this and looks very natural here.
Ray Oriel (Rome Hernandez) certainly shows it off well as a typical cocky teenager with his slick type of behavior and cool speaking in which he knew on how to portray this part inside out and really rolls in with the punches here. I really liked on what he did in his supporting role here and could see him getting other work in teenage type b-films.
Dina Dayrit (Kelly Mishimoto) stood out with her silent and shy type of behavior showing an expressionless type of behavior as to someone who gets tense easily as she does this all wonderfully while spotting her performance here. She seems to do well when she starts to speak in which she knew on how to add a good change to her personality here as well as adding some good knowledge around her which she is believeable at doing. Plus she does well with her anxious attitude too which shines off nicely here.
Alfonso Ribeiro (Darrel 'Panic' Lumley) was the best out of the whole cast in which he makes everything that he does pretty memorable showing a good energetic attitude pulling out a switchblade or trying to act tough. He also does a great job with his shocked and sobbing emotions after spotting something tragic. He also does a nice job acting physically aggressive too bringing that to a good high speed. He was great with his blocking and struggling speaking for when he is in danger which looked impressive too.
Michael Medeiros (Jerry) does his job nicely as someone who seems a little strange but tries to be level headed yet acting believeably untrustworthy here. He also does a great job by acting violent and aggressive in other situations in which he drives out his intensity and nasty sarcasm perfectly. In other places he was great driving out his yelling and demanding moments at a good high pace too just letting it all out which looked perfect too.
Clint Howard (Jarvis Tanner) didn't have a huge amount of scene's in the film but he was the biggest attention grabber in his performance in which he seems to do well playing these weirdo type roles as he knew how to act outrageous with what he did including his painful reactions to what is happening to him as well as acting freaky towaards others when he infected showing great insane expressions. He often does a good job within his performances and is quite the character.

A hamster is slaughtered
Numerous ticks rip out of people's bodies as well as a dog too
A man is infected

The composing sounded good and strong with the mainstream type of trumpet and violin playing as at first it sounds very uplifting for when the exciting moments start to occur which worked in well. Then there's great screechy violin music for when the ticks start to attack along with good heavy rolling drumbeats too. Also nice heroic trumpet playing for when the good events turn out with the surviviors. All of this was brought in perfectly by Daniel Licht and Christopher L. Stone in which they had some nice versatality into their playing here.

[to his dead rodent, which has been attacked by ticks]
Jarvis Tanner: Dude, you're all messed up!

Dr. Kates: [steps on a huge tick] When in doubt... squish!

Jarvis Tanner: [screaming] I'M INFESTEEEED!