To set your mind at ease, you haven't missed any 'Phase' films. This is actually called 'Phase IV', and is not the fourth installment in a franchise.
Let's be honest, 'Phase IV' is not the most interesting of films. There's a lost of extreme close-up photography of ants - REAL ants and not CGI ants. Parts of the movie felt like a documentary. Although the photography is incredible and fascinating for its time, even this wears off after a while. And, although it was just ants, the close-up photography of ants dying and being crushed to death, was still discomforting to watch. Maybe because it was just too close and detailed.
So, the film is about ants suddenly behaving strangely, and two scientists, Hubbs (Davenport) and Lesko (Murphy) trying to investigate the phenomenon. They're even attempting to communicate with the ants by studying their patterns and sounds. When they rescue a young girl, Kendra (Frederick) from a poisonous gas, a bond develops between her and Lesko. Fortunately it was more about Lesko pitying the girl than a romantic interest, but I still found the girl got in the way of the story.
There's very little action - and horror here - but the film also wasn't boring. It did have a rather weird ending, though, which didn't make a lot of sense. I think I would have preferred a different ending.
'Phase IV' didn't do well at the box office, but then again, how many cinemagoers really find ants an interesting premise...?
Would I watch it again? I don't think so.
Let's be honest, 'Phase IV' is not the most interesting of films. There's a lost of extreme close-up photography of ants - REAL ants and not CGI ants. Parts of the movie felt like a documentary. Although the photography is incredible and fascinating for its time, even this wears off after a while. And, although it was just ants, the close-up photography of ants dying and being crushed to death, was still discomforting to watch. Maybe because it was just too close and detailed.
So, the film is about ants suddenly behaving strangely, and two scientists, Hubbs (Davenport) and Lesko (Murphy) trying to investigate the phenomenon. They're even attempting to communicate with the ants by studying their patterns and sounds. When they rescue a young girl, Kendra (Frederick) from a poisonous gas, a bond develops between her and Lesko. Fortunately it was more about Lesko pitying the girl than a romantic interest, but I still found the girl got in the way of the story.
There's very little action - and horror here - but the film also wasn't boring. It did have a rather weird ending, though, which didn't make a lot of sense. I think I would have preferred a different ending.
'Phase IV' didn't do well at the box office, but then again, how many cinemagoers really find ants an interesting premise...?
Would I watch it again? I don't think so.