Reviewed by: Dare Devil Kid (DDK)
Rating: 3.6/5 stars
Mrs. Perch, an elderly, wealthy lady from rural America, is throwing a fancy garden party at her remote country villa. For catering staffers Paul and Julia, the party is nothing out of the ordinary - same procedure as every year - except this time her illegally imported plant fertilizer seeps into the ground. Subsequently, a local species of killer wasps that usually lay their eggs into other insects mutates into 7-ft. tall predators, and the celebrating upper-class company provides just the right kind of prey. It's up to Paul and Julia, the two catering staffers, to stop the creatures, fight for their lives, and incidentally getting their stumbling romance in order.
Director Benni Diez takes audiences on a thrilling, gory roller- coaster ride from campy to creepy, in this delightful and dreadful creature-feature. The headliners, of course, are the monsters, and Mr. Diez, a former effects specialist, skillfully blends viscous textures with cheesy digital flourishes. Kudos to his entire special-effects team, who relied less on CGI and more on practical effects. Another smart hand played by the filmmakers is their decision to maintain a tone that's mostly ideal for the contemporary equivalent of a drive- in movie: of reverent, parodic irreverence.
The only real niggle I had the film lay with its persistent and contrived attempts to encourage us to root for the good guy who is essentially a man-child until crisis mode kicks in, and he suddenly and abruptly becomes a badass, composed, think-on-your-feet, know- it- all. That minor, incredulous bit aside, 'Stung" is still a welcome breath of fresh air in the creature-feature horror genre - a rare, unpolished stone, unearthed from a deep, dark crevice, which all too frequently supplies it with hokum and drivel. It delights in its own stupidity the way a dog rolls in dirt, but is nearly as difficult to get mad at after it muddies up the rug.
Rating: 3.6/5 stars
Mrs. Perch, an elderly, wealthy lady from rural America, is throwing a fancy garden party at her remote country villa. For catering staffers Paul and Julia, the party is nothing out of the ordinary - same procedure as every year - except this time her illegally imported plant fertilizer seeps into the ground. Subsequently, a local species of killer wasps that usually lay their eggs into other insects mutates into 7-ft. tall predators, and the celebrating upper-class company provides just the right kind of prey. It's up to Paul and Julia, the two catering staffers, to stop the creatures, fight for their lives, and incidentally getting their stumbling romance in order.
Director Benni Diez takes audiences on a thrilling, gory roller- coaster ride from campy to creepy, in this delightful and dreadful creature-feature. The headliners, of course, are the monsters, and Mr. Diez, a former effects specialist, skillfully blends viscous textures with cheesy digital flourishes. Kudos to his entire special-effects team, who relied less on CGI and more on practical effects. Another smart hand played by the filmmakers is their decision to maintain a tone that's mostly ideal for the contemporary equivalent of a drive- in movie: of reverent, parodic irreverence.
The only real niggle I had the film lay with its persistent and contrived attempts to encourage us to root for the good guy who is essentially a man-child until crisis mode kicks in, and he suddenly and abruptly becomes a badass, composed, think-on-your-feet, know- it- all. That minor, incredulous bit aside, 'Stung" is still a welcome breath of fresh air in the creature-feature horror genre - a rare, unpolished stone, unearthed from a deep, dark crevice, which all too frequently supplies it with hokum and drivel. It delights in its own stupidity the way a dog rolls in dirt, but is nearly as difficult to get mad at after it muddies up the rug.