‘Kills humans dead’
Cicada! is a 2018 American science-fiction comedy horror feature film in which an environmental disaster unleashes giant bloodthirsty insects. Four eccentric friends led by a disgraced baseball player have to band together to defend Los Angeles from a swarm of the marauding cicadas…
Written, edited and directed by David Willis, the Ow My Neck Productions movie stars Jeffrey Ryan Kent, Cassandra Hein, Beau Crawford and Mike Nielsen.
Review:
We watch a lot of low and very low budget movies at MOVIES and MANIA and we’re very sympathetic to indie filmmakers and their efforts in general. Unfortunately, Cicada! is insultingly awful and not in an unintentionally bad-yet-fun way (like, for example, Birdemic). Frankly, it was a struggle to get through it despite this reviewer being a fan of this kind of creature feature nonsense.
Sure, it’s ‘knowingly’ bad with green screen bugs galore and pathetic CGI blood but that doesn’t mean it also has to be painfully unfunny and full of obnoxious characters too. Plus, some atrocious ADR. Compared to a movie such as Brett Piper’s Bite Me! (2004)
– which shows how well this bare budget stuff can be made – this is a waste of anyone’s time.
Adrian J Smith, MOVIES and MANIA
Other reviews:
The effects themselves are a mixture of poor CGI […] and some brilliant practical bug effects. Effects that, in the end credits, include rubber monsters hung on wire off the end of what look to be broom handles! It’s cheap and cheerful movie-making at its best. Cicada is the kind of film you’ll groan at, laugh with (not at) and have a lot of fun watching.” Nerdly
“There’s something for, and probably something to offend, everyone […] Willis seems to have overestimated how funny the bad effects would be and the cartoonish scenes of people being ripped apart grow repetitive fast. The same with horrible CGI explosions, especially once our heroes discover the cicadas are flying bombs.” Voices from the Balcony
Scroll down for YouTube review(s)
Choice dialogue:
Cindy: “This is bullsh*t! I’m so done!”
Release:
Cicada! was unleashed on DVD by Wild Eye Releasing on November 3rd 2020.
Main cast and characters (alphabetical):
Andrew Amicangelo … Team Owner
Phoenix Askani … Amber
Dave Bean … Coach Dixon
Ruben Briones … Smartass Jogger
Shawn Michael Clankie … Shawn (as Shawn Clankie)
Gabi Conti … Street Walker
Beau Crawford … Randy Porter
Andrew Curtis … Horny Pastor
Kaleb DeLeon … Mitch
Adam Deyoe … Police Officer
Tom Diridon … Billy B
Tommy Germanovich Jr. … News Anchor
Eric Gosselin … Roadblock Soldier
Sam Graci-Glazer … Young Johnny Bash
Cassandra Hein … Cindy Preston
Ananias Johnson … Raul
Jeffrey Ryan Kent … Johnny Bash
Graham Mackie … Tinfoil
Michael Malerba … Police Officer
Lawrence A. Mandley … Chief Mahoney (as Lawrence Mandley)
Ralph Mayer … Angry Jogger
Aaron McLane … Religious Fanatic
Greg Minihan … Police Officer
Susan Montenegro … Cri’stal
Mike Nielsen … Nelson Phillips
Aaron Pont … DJ Ricky
Robert Rexx … Strip Club Bouncer
Jose Rosete … Strip Club Dirtbag
Daniel M. Sandoval … Rose Vendor / Cicada VIctim (as Daniel Sandoval)
Rick Santizo … Helicopter Soldier
Gerardo F. Santos … Police Officer
Shannon Torrence … Pam Phillips
David Willis … Smelly Bob
Merik Woodmansee … Police Officer
Related:
The Beast Within (1982)
Trailer:
YouTube review:
MOVIES and MANIA rating:
