The Swarm

Movie Review: The Swarm

Year of Release: 1978
Country of Origin: USA
Director: Irwin Allen
Cast: Michael Caine, Katharine Ross, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Olivia de Havilland

Plot outline: A huge swarm of deadly African bees spreads terror over American cities by killing thousands of people (IMDb).

The Swarm is the type of movie that dares to include such laughable dialogue as "General, you should know that the enemy is always expected to do the unexpected." As the swarm of bees invade and sting their victims, the symptoms include sweating, rapid heartbeat, and visions of a giant bee! The cast is made up of many famous faces from the 1970s. Some of them seem right at home, while others seem to be around for marquee value (Henry Fonda, what on earth are you doing in here?). While it's fun to see all the different actors from eras past trampling on stage, we never invest any emotional stock in them. As for the evil insects, it's somewhat refreshing to see actual bees on the screen instead of computer generated effects (as would be the case if the movie was made today). I have no idea how the filmmakers managed to coerce the actors into working with the bees, but God bless them for their perseverance. Of course, many of the shots involving the actual swarm are just matte shots or fancy effects. Some are sufficient, while others appear downright cheesy. It's too bad there wasn't any extra footage letting us know how many stings each actor received in the course of the filming. If you enjoyed The Poseidon Adventure or The Towering Inferno, chances are you'll have a few laughs at The Swarm's expense. While the movie may not have heavy "buzz" around it among moviegoers, it's still a fun little flick filled with thousands of bees and Michael Caine. (PN)

My judgement: ** out of 4 stars