Review: King of the Ants 2003

“King of the Ants” is really quite the film, it’s very strange… Maybe not strictly a ‘horror’ film, although it does have its ‘moments’, and it’s certainly very dark. This film is powerful, oddly thought-provoking, and just utterly brutal. I definitely enjoyed it, but, still, I was actually a little surprised by the overwhelmingly positive response it has received from critics. I suppose that’s because I must admit that I found myself questioning a couple of the, seemingly abrupt, or perhaps even arguably unnecessary, choices for the plot… However, on the whole, the movie is actually quite brilliant, it’s very well acted, it utilizes a ruthless and fascinating premise and is, for the most part, superbly executed. “King of the Ants” tells the dark, twisted story of revenge and limits, of how far people will go and just how much a person can withstand…and what happens when someone is pushed way too far.
Having spent his life drifting, Sean Crawley, a struggling house painter trying to figure out who he is, is suddenly offered $13,000 to kill someone and he decides to go for it. Once the deed is done, however, Sean’s new “employers” figure it would be easier to kill him than to pay him. Things really start to ‘snowball’ from there, Sean winds up beaten practically to the point of madness, but manages to escape and then begins to plot his revenge.
There is a LOT to this film (perhaps, a little too much..), but it’s really quite intriguing, provided you can stomach the brutality. “King of the Ants” is a dark and disturbing film that portrays the worst that mankind has to offer.

*Note: When looking up this movie, the reviews on RottenTomatoes are for the correct film, however the picture shown and the synopsis given, are for a completely different film, by the same name…