DipitySkillful
an ambitious but ultimately ineffective debut endeavor.
SeeQuant
Blending excellent reporting and strong storytelling, this is a disturbing film truly stranger than fiction
Brenda
The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one
The_Void
The 1980's were a breeding ground for this sort of horror film - cheap, tacky and devoid of anything even resembling a point or an intellect. However, many of these films are fun, easy viewing and although they aren't exceptional in any way, they're a nice waste of time. The Nest is a film that fits that bill pretty cleanly. The plot (or lack thereof) follows an evil corporation that has engineered a new species of Super-Roach™ to wipe out the bog-standard ordinary cockroaches. Naturally, something goes wrong and these new Super-Roaches™ want a more varied diet than their fellow bug and so decide to start eating flesh instead. Oh dear. However, it gets better as these bugs aren't just ordinary bugs that happen to eat flesh, they also have the ability to merge with their subjects, which leads to lots of different hybrids of bug, including dog-bugs and, best of all, a human bug hybrid; which features in one of the most hilarious special effect sequences of the entire 1980's.Make no mistake, this film is rubbish. The acting in particular is terrible, with Robert Lansing providing the heroics and, well, he's no Arnold Schwarzenegger, let's put it that way. Most of the cast are miscast, but one highlight of casting is Stephen Davies, in the role of the over the top bug hunter. Bad films often try and cover up their crappyness with silly characters, and The Nest is no exception. The glaring casting mistake is Terri Treas, who plays the scientist who becomes obsessed with studying the new type of insect. Treas would have been believable as a gardener, or a hairdresser or even the woman on one of those irritating shopping channels - but not a scientist. I know it's just 80's kitsch, but come on! As mentioned, the effects in the film aren't bad. They're not very realistic (but how could they be?), but they're gory and get the job done. One problem with the film, though, is that it gets boring on too many occasions and you will no doubt find yourself just waiting out the talking scenes until the next part with gore comes on. Still, if you're after daft horror, you could do worse.
HumanoidOfFlesh
The quiet town of North Port is being overrun by cockroaches!Sheriff Tarbell(Franc Luz)believes that genetic experiments being conducted by the INTEC corporation are the cause.Confronted with the potential disaster,Mayor Johnson(Robert Lansing)calls for help.When Dr.Hubbard(Terri Treas)arrives,she quickly realizes that an innocent experiment has gone terribly wrong.Ordinary roaches are turning into creatures with a taste for blood.Worse,the roaches are genetically mutating...literally becoming whatever they eat."The Nest" perfectly blends grisly gore with humour.The movie has its flaws and it's slightly predictable,but I enjoyed it.The acting is decent and the direction is well-handled.The gore is pretty strong and the special effects are excellent.So if you're a fan of 80's horror give it a look.Killer cockroaches chewing people up and lots of gore,what more can you ask?
brandonsites1981
A small town is plagued by flesh eating roaches that are the result of a scientific experiment gone awry. To make matters worse they are transforming into whatever they consume. Pre-dating Mimic by a decade, this intense, tight and extremely frightening horror film features excellent make-up effects, a wonderfully demented performance by Terri Treas, and an intelligent, well crafted script.Rated R; Extreme Graphic Violence and Profanity.
hippiedj
I am so glad this film was made a few years AFTER I graduated from college -- the apartments on campus were so badly infested with cockroaches I wrote a regular column in the housing newsletter called "Roach World" offering helpful tips on roach control. If The Nest would have been made during that time I would have run screaming off that campus altogether! Never have I seen insects so menacing in a film! It's perfect for making the viewer feel uneasy and checking in cabinets and under the kitchen sink for weeks after.Rather than try to be seriously scientific like Phase IV or the just plain "what the...." mentality of Squirm, The Nest gives us that good old "genetic experiment gone wrong" scenario and just RUNS with it. Conveniently containing the terror to an island, there's enough carnage for several films put together. Even the big confrontation, as wacky as it looks, manages to keep you riveted. I've seen it all in films, but one thing that can still get me unglued is something horrible happening to animals, and while I'm sure there was no harm to any REAL animals in the making of this film, the effects work was so gruesome I still wince when watching it! Nothing and no one is safe from the spreading cockroaches, and the viewer is not given much time to relax. If you're going to do an over-the-top bug movie, this is a good one to learn from....this is from the days before CGI took over and made things look like an upgraded cartoon.I must comment about one particular reviewer here on IMDb that felt there was no counterbalance of humour or "naked babes," saying it was scary but too gross. Excuse me, but a film about killer cockroaches (yes, even the X-Files went that route) is bound to be a bit gruesome and you might as well have a thrill ride with it. You don't have to have laughs in EVERY horror film, nor do you have to have naked women. Start considering that there are other folks out here, and that breast-on-the-brain guys don't necessarily run the world. Most films throw in laughs and nudity in order to cover up the fact that the scares are lacking. The Nest is potent with dread and scary moments, so if you want your share of gratuitous nudity and guffaws then watch any of the drek made from Troma and have a field day! Frankly, I'm happy that at least some films like The Nest that have been released under the eye of Roger Corman managed to escape his usual need to throw in breasts at any possible moment. You don't know how many times I've heard female friends of mine saying, "Okay, if the guys get to see the boobs, where are the men's butts for US??" Talk about balance, then turnabout IS fair play, guys... Some films lose their power over the years or after a couple viewings, but The Nest never loses its effectiveness. My only complaint about it is that on DVD as part of the "Roger Corman Classics" series, Corman and the folks at New Concorde should treat us and the films they release with a bit more respect by not settling for no-frills, full-frame DVDs (a scary trend that even Artisan DVDs heading towards). The Nest would have been better suited with a few extras and widescreen treatment (if it wasn't a 1:33 to 1 ratio to begin with)...Corman could learn a thing or two from Anchor Bay (and even MGM) -- they at least give even some of the silliest films audio commentaries and other features like widescreen. The Nest is a classic piece of gruesome cinema and should be experienced to the fullest!And yeah, what's up with that woman's hair?
