Freddy's 31 Days of Horror Day 10: Tony Randel's Ticks
Let's take the director of Hellraiser 2 give him one of the weirdest scripts in the world and make him make a direct to Video horror flick. Who should we cast? Let's get Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Seth Green and Ron Howard's brother whose in all those obscure but awesome horror movies! Yeah! Then we can get the guy who wrote Mortal Kombat Annihilation to write it! I like to imagine this was the conversation being held by the producers after a long hit off their giant bong seeing as how canibis plays such an integral role in this flick. 
Ticks begins with none other than Clint Howard who is a redneck weed farmer using steroids on his crop to make them grow bigger and stronger. Unfortunately for him there's a hole in the giant vat of steroids that leaks out into a bunch of Tick eggs making them grow exponentially. In the same woods there's a program for troubled teens called the Inner City-Wilderness Project where a bunch of teens who share a common fear of the forest must go to bond as a group and overcome their fears. Our two biggest stars in the group of kids are Tyler (Seth Green) and Darrel aka "Panic" (Alfonso Ribeiro) aka Carlton from Fresh Prince. As they desperately try to bond in the woods to no avail the Ticks begin growing bigger and bigger attacking everything and everyone. To make matters worse there is a duo of weed farmers by the names of Sir and Jerry who kill anyone in the way of their crops and honestly might be ten times more terrifying than the giant Ticks! 
Some of the acting here is really dry as well as the dialogue but dear god the premise and execution of all the other elements in the film alone make up for any bit of bad acting or bad dialogue. This movie is ridiculously awesome make no mistake. The Ticks themselves are what really make this thing a jewel. The FX of the giant Ticks are so amazingly real. I have never seen a giant Tick nor do I think they exist but if someone told me hey they used real giant Ticks in this movie I would probably believe them. The combination of every little detail put into the construction of these creatures along with the natural fluidity of their movements is astonishing, plus the sound effects really sell every single slimy skittery step these things legs take, it's enough to truly send shivers up your spine! They are vicious as hell and you're going to see them draw a lot of blood! 
There are times that while this is a silly fun movie, it will kick your ass back into reality to ground itself a bit. As you learn the reasons why each of the kids have fears and why they're in the program. You truly do feel sorry for them even if it is one line that comes out of no where and just makes you feel really sad. There's not much character development here but the little but you do get is generally well done. On the serious side are also Sir and Jerry the Weed Farmers who basically channel a suave Pa Sawyer and the hitchhiker from Texas Chainsaw. As I said these guys are almost more scary than the Ticks as you really fear what they might do to the kids if they get in their way. Especially Jerry, as he is a horribly creepy redneck perv. There's a scene in the end where they're all stuck in the cabin together and you get a true sense of panic as the Tick portion of the movie stops and we are shoved into a tense torture scene. The Ticks also give off Neuro Toxins in their bite which cause hallucinations that are played throughout the movie and Jerry and Sir take advantage of these doped up situations. Although the best hallucination is when this one girl is terrified and sees face popping, blood gushing giggling Clint Howard laughing at her, god bless that man he can be creepy as hell. 
The finale is the best as it gives us Ultra Mega Tick! One of the kids has a pretty gruesome death and I have to say is one of the most intense and best acted moments in the flick! Out of the kid's death comes the explosively bloody and gruesome birth of Ultra Mega Tick as it emerges from the kid's corpse Brundle Fly style with goo and flesh going everywhere! As cheesy as it is the kids work together and Seth Green being the stereotypical nerdy smart kid uses fire to combat the Ticks which makes them explode into giant gushes of blood and even has a sweet fight with Ultra Mega Tick! If you can stomach the bloody juicy gooey greatness then Ticks is the perfect turn off your brain and prepare for insane movie for your viewing pleasure!
21 Days til' Halloween Halloween!
21 Days til' Halloween! Silver Shamrock!
