User reviews

Weird deaths are occurring in the New Mexico desert, it is revealed to be the work of giant mutated ants born out of the "A Bomb" tests that took place there. Trouble escalates to the big city of Los Angeles when one of the giant queen ants escapes to L.A. and starts laying eggs that could lead to the end of mankind as we know it.

This is a cautionary tale about scientific tampering fused with a Cold War theme of destroying a threat to the country. Boasting some wonderful scenes such as the first desert encounter (cloaked in a sandstorm) and the final underground battle, Them! is a truly enjoyable viewing experience. It oozes the right amount of paranoia that became ever more prominent as the nuclear age began grow. The puppetry and special effects on show is of a very high standard for the time (well done Academy Award Nominee Ralph Ayres), and the direction from Gordon Douglas is one of the better efforts in the genre.

The tight story vanquishes any gripes about the plausibility factor, while the acting is, perhaps given the type of genre piece it is, of a surprisingly good standard. With James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, and Joan Weldon giving it a bit of oopmh. It went on to become Warner Brothers highest grossing film in 1954, and it's really not hard to see why. Because this firmly stands up as one of the better films of what is sadly a much maligned genre. 8/10

Them was the best giant bug movie. It was about giant ants and started a horde of pathetic clones that followed it, but none have even come close to matching this movie's effectiveness.

Atomic testing in New Mexico that went on in 1945 creates a horde of giant ants. It is up to a group of scientists, a police officer, and the military to stop these creatures from spreading throughout the USA and killing off the human race.

This movie is not only a horror movie, but it also makes a point about the dangers of atomic testing. Much like Japan's Godzilla, Them finds nothing good in radiation testing or atomic bombs. There is even a monologue at the end of the movie which explains that things have changed now that we have entered the Atomic age.

James Whitmore, James Arness, Joan Weldon, and Edmund Gwenn give good performances as the heroes who are out to save mankind, along with the U.S. military police. The pacing was rather good as well, slowing down when things need to be explained, and then picking up when the giant ants are on screen.

Though the special effects seem cheesy by todays standards, I thought they were rather effective in this movie and memorable for 1954. This movie definitely looks best in black and white because it adds a haunting feeling to the desolation of the desert where the creatures are first found, and it also makes other scenes in the movie seem darker and sinister. Definitely a thumbs up in my opinion.

Them stars James Whitmore as New Mexico Police Sgt. Ben Peterson who discovers a little girl wandering in the desert. He finds her trailer ripped apart and her parents missing. Casts of the strange footprints found at the crime scene are sent to a lab where they catch the attention of father/daughter doctors Medford (Edmund Gwenn and Joan Weldon) who come to New Mexico along with FBI agent Robert Graham (James Arness) to investigate. Dr. Medford has a theory but won't tell Peterson or Graham until he has more proof.

If you are a fan of sci-fi films, Them is one of the four essential sci-fi films of the 1950s along with The Thing, Day the Earth Stood Still, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. It's part crime story, part sci-fi, part horror with crisp dialog and it moves along at a brisk pace. Veteran director Gordon Douglas put together a solid cast of actors and the characters are totally believable. The story is interesting and the sets are outstanding.

Them was a box office hit in 1954 and it still holds up today if you can forgive the special effects. Them is a movie where any remake would always pale with the original. Highly recommended.

The marauding ants in "Naked Jungle," advancing across a desert, are matched by the monsters in "Them!" coming out through mists of the white sands of New Mexico after an atomic blast has increased them to giants…

Slowly people start to go missing and the news filters though to the nearest towns that the arid plateau can present a real threat as strange creepy whistles are coming out from that deep desert…

Rather than an atomic movie, the film is about the struggle between humans and species revolt which invade their cities and show their remarkable energy, tenacity and vulnerability…

Just as the Gill Man can only be driven back when he has isolated far from his natural element, the monster ants are all powerful in their own territory and none too easy to destroy outside it…

"Them!" is well acted, frightening, and engaging from start to finish… The cast is pretty damn good, especially James Whitmore as the pretty intelligent cop who found a five year old girl, aimlessly walking through the terrain of the desert— miles from her family's wrecked travel trailer—unresponsive by some catastrophe...

"Them!" is a well-made monster movie, an instant classic nominated for an Oscar for its effects

This is the granddaddy of 'em all, the film that pretty much started giant bug genre of sci-fi films and spawned countless imitators, none of which are remotely as good as this one. This movie has pretty much everything going for it: a literate, atmospheric, extremely well-written script for what is essentially a B picture (although Warner Brothers put a substantial amount of cash into it)l outstanding acting jobs by everyone from the leads on down to the extras; razor-sharp direction by an old pro, Gordon Douglas (by far his best film; nothing he did before or since was anywhere near as good); a combination of visual and sound effects guaranteed to creep you out (the scene where James Whitmore's partner goes outside the wrecked store to investigate the strange noises he hears is among the scariest things you'll ever see). Also, the characters are believable; they act like you know people would act in the same situation. Edmund Gwenn isn't the typical befuddled scientist you see in these films; he may be a tad distracted at times, but he gets down to business when the situation calls for it. Joan Weldon, his daughter, isn't just just a pretty face for the leads to fight over; she's every bit as much a scientist as her father, and she lets that fact be known right away. There's another level of this film that works well, too; comedy. Not the slapstick kind, or the stereotypical dumb cop or cook or crew member (usually from Brooklyn) that pops up in these films, but there are several lighter moments in the film that really work. Everyone remembers the wonderful Olin Howlin, the guy in the drunk tank who sings "Make me a sergeant in charge of the booze!", but there are several other segements that are equally as lighthearted; the great Dub Taylor playing a railroad detective suspected of stealing a load of sugar from a railroad car that the ants have actually done ("You think I stole that sugar? When was the last time you busted a ring of sugar thieves? You ever heard of a market for hot sugar?") and another scene in the drunk ward where a patient looks at the army major accompanying Arness and Whitmore and says, "I wanna get out of here, general, but I ain't gonna join the army to do it!" The special effects are first-rate but do not overwhelm the story, as is all too common in many of today's action films (that is, when there actually IS a story). There are some truly terrifying scenes (the one where the ants, who have hidden in the hold of a cargo ship at sea, attack and slaughter the crew), and I liked the fact that the ants aren't invulnerable--they CAN be killed (it just takes a lot more effort)--and also that they actually act like ants. All they're doing is just what real ants would actually do--which makes things even scarier, given that we know how single-minded and vicious real ants can actually be.

All in all, this is a trailblazing film that attempts to work on several levels--as a sci-fi film, as a mystery, as an action film--and succeeds admirably in every one.

This movie builds your anxiety to a minor frenzy. I think the old black and white did not hinder this sci-fi drama that still holds up well today. The creepy sound of the desert wind really sets the mood. The other effects seemed pretty darn good to be in a mid 50s movie. Of course the giant mutant ants don't look as scary as they did when I was a kid; but they still provide something to cause a squirm or two.

Mutant ants crawl up from their burrows in the desert of New Mexico. Another product of nuclear testing. They are hungry and are attacking humans as they search out food. Sounds like a movie that would be full of stupid dialog and over acting. Guess again. Understandable, but predictable script with some decent acting. Great example of early sci-fi and can be enjoyed by young and old alike.

The cast includes James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, James Arness, Joan Weldon and a smaller part for Fess Parker.

This is the kind of stuff I grew up on as a kid, watching science fiction and horror movies on TV which had been originally released in the 1940s and 50s. The 1950s was a golden age of science fiction movies, and THEM! was one of the very best. Good casting, dialog, and storyline, and commendable special effects for the time. Although the "atomic-radiation-causing-terrible-mutations" was a standard device in 50s sci fi (THE DEADLY MANTIS, IT CAME FROM BENEATH THE SEA, and others), it was a workable one, and given that the ants were from the same area of desert where the first atomic blast occurred, it had just enough plausibility. I also like the little touches of humor and banter between characters. There was even a little bit of cheesecake when the young Dr. Medford (Joan Weldon) gets her skirt caught when descended from the plane, revealing a pair of shapely legs. This is one I keep going back to on rainy Saturday afternoons! A gem of its kind.

Police Sgt. Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) finds a shocked little girl wandering in the New Mexico desert. She escaped from giant ants that attacked her family trailer but is now catatonic. Soon the ants are attacking the locals. FBI agent Robert Graham (James Arness) arrives to investigate. Dr. Harold Medford (Edmund Gwenn) and his daughter Dr. Pat Medford (Joan Weldon) from Department of Agriculture arrives later to explain that the atomic testing in 1945 had mutated giant ants. Harold Medford shocks the little girl and she screams "Them!" The group is able to kill one of the ants. Then they discover the entrance to the colony. After destroying the nest, they find two queen ants had already hatched and escaped. The action continues to move until it reaches Los Angeles.

The first half is quite compelling. The ants aren't shown. It is simply the eerie squeaking ants sound amongst the wind. The investigation is interesting. The acting is quite good consider its B-movie size. Both James Whitmore and Edmund Gwenn are Oscar caliber actors. The escape to LA is problematic. It would have been better to have the cops battle the ants out in the desert. The action is ant-tastic but it can get a little repetitive. Nevertheless this is one of the better creature features from the era. Also one can also play a game of spot the Leonard Nimoy in one of his early minor acting role.

I was about 6 years old when i first saw this movie in 1962 or 63. My neighbor, Bill, and my brother watched it with me. I lived in Montrose MI at the time and when it was over my mother told us to go out and play. We resisted her and almost got in trouble for arguing but hey, how can you send three young boys out to face the world after they just watched how giant ants almost took it over? We were scared to death, and hid behind the trees and bushes just watching for them.

Where have I lived for most part since 1984? Good old Alamogordo NM, home of the giant ants! How destiny does intrude on life. I love the desert and mountains out here (retired from USAF in 1999) and I am very happy to say that there have been no reports of giant ants since I have been here. People always call this the home of Atomic bomb (though they are off by some distance)and I always look them straight in the face and say "What? You mean you never heard of our giant ant problem?"

Boy, if this doesn't creep you out, then you just don't live in the South or Southwest, where you are constantly battling the monsters in this film.

The special effects were superb considering the limitations in 1954.

James Whitmore (Oscar nominations for Give 'em Hell, Harry! and Battleground) and James Arness, who played Marshal Matt Dillon in over 600 episodes of "Gunsmoke" in my formative years, were compelling as they chased the monsters.

They were ably assisted by Edmund Gwenn, who won ans Oscar for playing Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, and has a nomination for Mister 880. He won Golden Globes for both roles. He really was great here as "The Professor." Great Southwest locations and chilling excitement for a Sci Fi classic.

In the New Mexico desert, the Police Sgt. Ben Peterson (James Whitmore) and his partner find a child wandering in the desert and sooner they discover that giant ants are attacking the locals. The FBI agent Robert Graham (James Arness) teams up with Ben and with the support of Dr. Harold Medford (Edmund Gwenn) and his daughter Dr. Patricia 'Pat' Medford (Joan Weldon), they destroy the colony of ants in the middle of the desert.

Dr. Harold Medford explains that the atomic testing in 1945 developed the dangerous mutant ants. But they also discover that two queen ants have flown away to Los Angeles and they are starting a huge colony in the underground of the city. When a mother reports that her two children are missing, the team and the army have a lead to follow. Will they arrive in time to save the children and destroy the colony?

"Them!" is a classic sci-fi and an early film about giant mutants that threaten the human race. This film was made in the beginning of the Cold War and gives a message in the end against the use of nuclear weapons when Dr. Harold Medford say that we have opened the door for a new world. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mundo em Perigo" {"The World in Danger")

Them! is the best giant bug movie of the 1950's and one of the best, if not the best monster movie of the decade.

The acting is excellent with good performances from James Whitmore (The Relic) and James Arness (The Thing From Another World). The movie includes haunting desert settings and the giant ants look great. The sounds they make makes the movie even more eerie.

This is 50's monster movie action at its very best.

Rating: 5 stars out of 5.

You don't get more classic than this. The 1950s was the golden age of timeless monster movies. We've went from alien invaders to mad scientists to Godzilla and back, some good movies like "20 Million Miles to Earth" to laughable flicks such as "The Giant Claw". For this little gem, the filmmakers essentially took animals we normally wouldn't think twice about and turned them into massive terrifying monsters, an ingenious concept if you ask me. The result is one of the most iconic and influential monster movies of all time, strangely named "Them!".

Within the hot, barren New Mexico desert, a number of strange incidents have been occurring. Homes are torn apart, corpses are discovered, sugar instead of money is stolen, and a small girl too scared to speak is found and rescued. With the usual possibilities quickly ruled out, police officers and FBI agents team up with scientists to find the true cause of this bizarre series of unfortunate events. What they ultimately discover proves too incredible to believe: giant mutant ants spawned by atomic tests conducted a decade ago. With their strength, ingenuity, and numbers, these insects pose a dire threat to humanity's very survival. Our heroes must find a way to prevent these beasts from spreading across the country, leading to a suspenseful final showdown beneath the earth.

There's plenty to like about this sci-fi movie. The characters are distinct enough from a courageous police officer to a quirky scientist and his determined no-nonsense daughter (the latter of which is a relief from the usual damsel in distress). The dialogue between them is entertaining to watch with some rather humorous moments that genuinely made me chuckle from time to time. The suspense is executed pretty well here, keeping you on your toes wondering when the ants will strike. The music is pretty standard for its time but it does its job providing a creepy atmosphere to the film. The action scenes are quite thrilling to watch, complete with structures collapsing, guns firing, flamethrowers blazing, monsters chomping, all that good stuff.

The giant ants are the obvious highlight and boy are they are great. They are portrayed using massive animatronics, which are actually quite impressive given the low budgets of the genre at the time, complete with many moving parts like the mandibles, antennae, and legs. While these monsters are harmed by our weapons, they are still quite powerful and, like real ants, are determined to stop their prey by any means necessary. By far the scariest part of the giant insects is their sounds, which have an almost alien feel to them. This is especially apparent when you don't see the ants and are unsure of where and when they will strike, giving a foreboding sense of dread. It's really easy to forget that ants, when you really get down to it, are savage and frightening animals and if you run into one as big you, you'd better run. While the ants are absent for a good chunk of the film, when they do show up, it's a spectacle to behold.

With notable characters, chilling monsters, great action, surprisingly good science regarding ants, and excellent suspense, "Them!" is a memorable 50s classic you may not want to miss. Check it out!

Of the many "B" black and whites produced in the 50s perhaps only THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL and THE THING equal THEM! in stature and enduring greatness. It is an ageless and timeless snapshot of a moment in American history that maintains its pertinence even in modern viewing. Quibble about the few details that have not aged gracefully if you like; it is a classic.

"THEM!" (1954, Douglas) is the film that invented the giant monster movie formula that most tried to emulate. The monsters, giant ants, are impeccable and a real joy to behold. The filmmakers respected the material and this is a serious horror/sci-fi film.

It's a bit flabby around the middle but I have seen it so many times that I would notice something like that. It's a truly great film and still a benchmark in its genre. So many films imitated it but they pale in comparison.

If I were to write a review something along the lines of: "Them! is awesome because it depicts giant irradiated ants, and giant irradiated ants are cool", I'd probably be shot. Either way, 'Them!' is a great movie.

'Them!, to my knowledge, would be one of the earliest sci-fi movies to look at the consequences of nuclear technology. 'The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms' was released a year earlier in 1953, and 'Gojira' was released months after 'Them!', and arguably became the most successful of the three, but don't discount the impact 'Them!' had.

The film opens in New Mexico. Several people seem to bitten the desert dust when some police officers find the prototype for Newt from 'Aliens'. After an investigation, a nest of giant ants is discovered. The ants were mutated by atomic testing, and are responsible for the local deaths.

Like the 'Beast From 20,000 Fathoms' and 'Gojira', 'Them!' played on Cold War fears of the consequences of using nuclear weapons. The story may not be as relevant today as it was during the 50s, but as a student of history I find it rather interesting. And as a fan of action and sci-fi, 'Them!' has obviously had influences on 'Aliens', 'Starship Troopers', 'Terminator 2', and other movies.

'Them!' is a great sci-fi movie. It is a shame that many people my age would avoid it due to its age, it being in black and white, and not having special-effects on the level of the 'Matrix' - 9/10

This is a classy fun flick concerning a group of mutated giant ants wreak havoc on a South-western location . The huge ants at large in a a New Mexico desert and after that, in Los Angeles , threatening to take over the world . Along the way, a heroically tough policeman (James Withmore) , a FBI agent (James Arness) discover a terrified little girl , while a prestigious scientific (Edmund Gwen) and his daughter (Joan Weldon) foretell a dangerous disaster . The Amazing New Warner Bros. Sensation! Fantastic monsters attack the Earth ! You've never seen the like of THEM! A horror horde of crawl-and-crush giants clawing out of the earth from mile-deep catacombs! Kill one and two take its place! This city is under martial law until we annihilate THEM! An Endless Terror! A Nameless Horror! The Sci-Fi Classic of the Atomic Age. Kill one- and two take its place !The horror-horde of crawl-and-crush giants you've been hearing about on TV and radio!

Decent terror movie with magnificent trick photography and ingenious but traditional FX add to the entertainment and excitement enough, which have you on the edge of you seat . Frightening , horrifying special effects and lightning pace make this a supercharged amusement that will appeal to Sci-Fi lovers . The tableau of the gigantic monsters in their collective lair at the final is really thrilling , unforgettable and and unpleasant . Main cast delivering standout performances , such as : James Arness , Edmund Gwenn , James Withmore and Joan Weldon . See how many names you can spot among the supporting cast , such as : Fess Parker , Dub Taylor, William Schallert , Sean McClory , Onslow Stevens, Leonard Nimoy in a very minor character , among others . This popular fantasy/thriller was so good and famous that it began a whole new syndrome of giant-animal terror films . Being the first of the big-bug movies and far surpassing the rest , following a series of flicks about enormous bugs as ants or spiders , such as : ¨Tarantula (1955)¨ by Jack Arnold with John Agar ; ¨Tarantula: the deadly cargo (1977)¨ with Claude Akins ; ¨Kingdom of spiders (77)¨ by John Budd Cardos with William Shatner , ¨Arachnophobia (1990)¨ by Frank Marshall with John Goodman , Jeff Daniels , Harley Jane Kozak and many others .

It displays a thrilling musical score with strange and weird sounds by Bronislau Kaper . As well as atmospheric cinematography in black and white by cameraman Sidney Hickox , shot on location in Los Angeles River Basin , Railroad Yard, Union Station, Blaney Ranch , Palmdale, California , Tunnel beneath the 6th Street Viaduct, Downtown, Los Angeles . The motion picture was profesionally directed by Gordon Douglas . This Hollywood filmmaker was a prolific artisan whose career spans over forty years . And directing all kinds of genres : Western, Drama, WWII, Action , Comedy, SciFi , Thriller, Adventures with sucessses enough , such as : Fortunes of Captain Blood , Up Periscope , Them , The Great Missouri Raid , The Doolins of Oklahoma , Sylvia, Río Conchos , Stagecoach , Robin and the 7 Hoods , Massacre , The Detective , among others. Rating 7/10. Notable Sci-fi thriller movie . Better than average. The pic will appeal to Science-Fiction fans .

This 1954 film is a classic: first-rate cast, intelligent screenplay, and exceptional special effects. It is as enjoyable to watch in 2000 as it was in 1954. While cold-war "jitters" about lingering A-bomb radiation gave rise to the film, it stands on its own as a great adventure film, and the quaint clothes, hair styles and automobiles are an added source of entertainment!

Scared the life out of me at an early age - my Dad could do a great impersonation of the noise those ants made :) Since then the movie, for me anyway, has come to represent 1950s paranoia over the effects of atomic radiation. Fast-moving story with thankfully next to nothing love interest, a good cast, wonderful soundtrack and photography. A movie which I never tire of watching. Interesting to compare the shots in the LA drainage canals with those in 'Grease'. Same locations but the steam locos have long gone. I await a DVD with extras with great interest ...

This film had a common theme for 50's sci-fi - that of man playing around with atomic power causing extreme adverse impacts on the global environment. Here James Arness plays an FBI agent and Edmund Gwenn is a Ph.D. from the Department of Agriculture, both of whom are sent out to help solve the cases of a group of small town New Mexico murders and disappearances that don't make sense to local law enforcement. This film is overtly judgmental of man's recklessness with nuclear technology and discusses the possibility that there is more to the after effect of the atomic testing that went on there in 1945 than just the immediate destruction of the blast. In this case, mutations in the form of giant ants are linked to those first atomic experiments.

Although the public probably wasn't afraid of actual giant insects in the 1950's, as a result of the cold war and nuclear technology, the atomic age certainly made the stars of past horror films - vampires and werewolves - look tame in comparison by opening up a whole new horizon of horrific possibilities. Highly recommended.

This had real potential but they screwed it all up.They managed to have a good story but it's completely unoriginal. An FBI agent goes on vacation to the middle of the desert,seems about right.Then giant ants attack. The government sends in a guy to take over and try to create conflict and spout scientific lies. From there on lots of stuff that doesn't make sense happens. This movie is just a bunch of clichés wrapped in a half-baked plot.It has all the typical things like the American southwest and tunnels and scientists with guns. I didn't really like it but it's above average for this type of movie.Definitely give it a shot.