The Island of Giant Insects (Movie)

Their plane crashed, leaving a group of students stranded on a strange island. If they can hold out for three days help should come, which would be easy if it wasn’t for the giant insects that live there!
The Island of Giant Insects (Movie)
What did you watch?
I first watched this movie in January 2020, not long after it was released because why on Earth would I wait when it’s called The Island of Giant Insects? However, I had originally planned on reviewing it over on EcchiHunter.com but never got around to it. So, I figured I would do it here and now. I rewatched it on New Year’s Eve because it seemed like a perfectly reasonable thing to do. Spoiler alert, I love monster movies. With that warning out of the way, it’s time to visit The Island of Giant Insects!

What happened?
Mutsumi Oribe woke up suddenly to find herself lying on a strange beach surrounded by plane debris. She was confused but quickly worked out that her plane must have crashed. Luckily, she survived, but she was alone. In a panic, she ran into the nearby woods calling for help. She soon found the captain of the softball team, Ayumi Matsuoka and together they searched for other survivors.
Another group, consisting of Mutsumi’s best friend, Chitose Naruse had found a vending machine and liberated its contents. Chitose tried to calm the group but under the influence of Kamijo Atsushi and Jinno Misuzu, they had become restless. Before heading off, Ai Inou ran into the bushes to pee. However, she soon lets out a terrifying scream. The sound alerted the others and Mutsumi and Ayumi who came running to find two giant Swallowtail Butterflies attacking Ai!

What did you think?
I have no reason to lie here, I loved it. Of course, monster movies are one of my guilty pleasures so I can forgive a lot as long as it hits the expected tropes and The Island of Giant Insects hit them hard. It was almost hilarious noting them as they occurred but at the same time, it was a riot. It did an amazing job of setting the spooky vibe at the beginning of the movie with the scene in the airport and then the montage of shots of the island which appeared to have been deserted. One of my favourite things about this movie was that it used real facts about insects that added to believability. I should also mention that the CGI insects stand out badly against the regular animation, so be prepared!

What was your favourite moment?
I think the scene with the Swallowtail Butterflies was probably my favourite. Did you know that they hunt by sensing ammonia? So, it makes perfect sense that they would track down someone taking a pee in the forest. On top of that, I loved the way it just ripped the students out of the already terrifying situation and made things infinitely worse. This movie did that over and over again and it was a lot of fun, well, not for the characters…
After that, I have to mention the parasite that took over Akira’s body. As soon as I saw the hint of something going on after they went swimming to remove any ticks that had attached, I knew where we were going and I was shocked. Those sorts of parasites usually inhabit snails and it is crazy how they work. There are so many insects that could have been used to create an endless amount of nightmare fuel. Mother Nature really is twisted!

What was your least favourite moment?
This has to be the fact that it ended with so many questions still to be answered. I’m pretty sure there’s enough material from the manga for at least another two movies so I guess I’ll have to wait and see if that happens. For example, Kai Kazuhiko is searching the hospital and he finds some green goo and then when he opens a door his eyes go wide with terror. We never find out what he saw or if anything happened to him. He just laughed it off in the next scene and it’s forgotten. If there aren’t any more movies, it will be a rather disappointing conclusion.

Who was your favourite character?
I don’t see how it can be anyone other than Mutsumi. She was the hero of the story and pretty much the only one that seemed to think of others. Everyone else seemed to be working to their own agenda. When she was washing Chitose in the sea, Jinno was busy trying to get Atsushi onto her side and Miura was doing the same with Ayumi. It was an interesting moment and showed a lot of Mutsumi’s character. Of course, her knowledge of insects sure came in handy.

Who was your least favourite character?
Atsushi takes this one, but only just. His main competition was Jinno, although she had something about her that was just a little more likeable… Can’t imagine what that was? Anyhow, he was the typical alpha jerk who was only concerned with himself until it suited him. Then, he was willing to put anyone at risk to do his thing. Another thing that hurts him is how easily Jinno controls him. So much for the alpha. The girls were far tougher.

Would you like some more?
This seems kind of obvious, but yeah, I’d love some more. I’m actually going to check out the manga as well, especially as I’d imagine there is almost no chance of another movie being made. Never say never, but it strikes me as being incredibly unlikely. I’d just like more anime horror movies and series, and they don’t have to be about giant insects! Any unusual monster would do.

What have you learnt?
There were two things that stood out in this movie. Firstly, and I’ve already mentioned this was that it hit all the tropes. Horror is probably one of the two genres that have the most tropes with the other being romance, ironically. Tropes are great because they help to ensure that the audience finds familiar concepts and moments. That helps them bond with it and enjoy the experience. Of course, you can shake up the tropes, just don’t go too wild!
The second thing is also something I’ve mentioned. Mother Nature! Seriously, go watch a documentary about insects or any type of animal and you will be amazed at the variety of things that can and do happen in the natural world. I have a series I’m planning that uses a number of bizarre creatures from Earth that I am going to put into a new environment and make them that much more terrifying. Seriously, nature is freaky as hell.

Highlights
Swallowtail Butterflies!




Mud Wasps!






Hard Ticks!




Bathing!










Parasitic Worm!








Dobsonfly!












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