Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Mosquito Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 14, 2015

Doing his part to revive the giant bug subgenre of the 1950s, co-writer/director Gary Jones submits 1995’s “Mosquito” for approval, giving nature’s most diligent pest its time in the monster movie sun. While armed with a limited budget, Jones generally makes the most of what he’s got for the feature, which offers a healthy amount of gore and humor as it details the wrath of mutant insects. The basics are covered here, making for an entertaining sit, though, as with most of these productions, a little goes a long way when it comes to broad characterizations, finding the effort’s addiction to padding throttling the celebration of B-movie hysterics Jones is aiming to provide.

Driving to a U.S. National Park, Ray (Tim Lovelace) and Megan (Rachel Loiselle) smash into a mutant mosquito on the road, coming into contact with a plague that’s originated at a nearby alien crash site. Driving to a campground, the lovers are ready to relax and enjoy the weekend, but trouble eventually finds them, with the mosquitoes swarming the site, killing most of the vacationers. The survivors include Ray and Megan, Ranger Hendricks (Ron Asheton), and bank robbers Earl (Gunnar Hansen) and his brother, Junior (Mike Hard). Teaming up with meteor chaser Parks (Steve Dixon), the gang fights for survival, taking to the streets in a motor home to evade the unusual threat, which expands its deadly reach into the woods, threatening fishermen, rednecks, and tourists as it sucks victims dry.

Instead of just delivering monster mosquitoes, Jones mimics the opening of “The Thing,” following an alien spaceship as it makes an ill-fated visit to Earth, crash landing in a manner that ejects the pilot, allowing nearby insects to feast on the remains. It’s the last bit of overt sci-fi in the plot, which quickly shifts into discovery mode, watching each character come into contact with the mosquitoes in a disastrous manner, finding panic slowly spreading through the park. Jones is generally good with introductions, and while performances are on the stiff side, personality comes through satisfactorily, bringing together a motley crew of scientists, criminals, and a park ranger to save humanity from enormous flying creatures armed with sharp, extended proboscis eager to plunge into soft, available flesh.

“Mosquito” is jokey, but never irritatingly so. It’s a tongue-in-cheek endeavor that manages extreme carnage, watching the creatures poke out eyes and pierce buttocks with their mouths, but Jones (along with co-writers Steve Hodge and Tom Chaney) maintains balance between the macabre and the goofy, trying to keep the picture approachable to even those who normally wouldn’t seek out a monster mosquito feature. Problematic is attention to the ensemble, with quirks and tepid banter often used to beef up the run time, while the large amount of personalities involved in the siege tend to distract from the stars of the show. Obviously, budgetary limits keep the bugs hidden for large chunks of the effort, but “Mosquito” is always at its best when exploring the attack sequences, offering a mix of puppetry and stop-motion animation to bring the menace to life. It’s highly amusing and acceptably gory, and far more engaging than any moment that finds the team talking through their next stage of survival.

Action is varied, following the gang as they attempt to outrun the mosquitoes in a motor home, take to the sewers to fend off the threat with fire, and hole up inside an abandoned home for the final showdown. Jones pays tribute to his favorite movies (“Aliens” being the most pronounced) and the production isn’t subtle with inside jokes, making a big deal out of Earl picking up a chainsaw to arm himself for the final battle. Again, action is most appealing, getting the most out of “Mosquito” with funky visuals and panicked performances, playing up routine with a certain amount of glee.

Mosquito Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

There's a note from the disc's producers tucked into the case that explains the origin of the AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation, primarily pointing out that focus issues are inherent to the source. Softness is present but it's really no major concern, as the viewing experience is sufficiently bright and bold, offering detail for a movie with limited resources and low-budget cinematography. Facial particulars and monster mosquito textures remain, and set decoration is easily surveyed, while exteriors hold distances. Colors are accurate, presenting rich greenery and stable costuming. Skintones are natural. Delineation is ideal, preserving evening sequences and low-lit locations. Source is clean.

Mosquito Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 7.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix opens with a bang, finding the alien visitation sequence coming alive with enveloping panning effects and a pleasing rumble. "Mosquito" offers plenty of movement to absorb, with the titular creatures often buzzing around the surrounds, amplifying suspense and possibly triggering some phobias along the way. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and tight, with a secure range of emotions and violent interactions that's free of distortion. Scoring is inherently thin, but it supports comfortably, delivering a full synth feel that doesn't steamroll over the action. Atmospherics are alert and active.

Mosquito Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director/co-writer Gary Jones, director of photography/co-writer Tom Chaney, and producer David Thiry.

• "Bugging Out!" (75:56, HD) is the official making-of for "Mosquito," and it's a sprawling discussion of the effort's climb from idea to screen. Interviews are key here, gathering a good portion of the cast and crew to reflect on their time with the picture, highlighting the struggle to make a B-movie in Detroit that featured numerous special effects. Anecdotes are plentiful, and tributes are shared for deceased actors Ron Asheton (substantial time is spent in awe of his day job as the guitarist for The Stooges) and Steve Dixon. Perhaps most interesting is footage from a road trip with Jones and Chaney, who return to locations and the production warehouse after two decades away, even finding reels of film and props left behind. This is a comprehensive and entertaining documentary.

• Deleted & Extended Scenes (7:20, SD) offers some backstory on a few of the characters, along with a cameo by Jones's son. An extended ending is included as well, but doesn't add anything to the feature. The scenes can be viewed with or without commentary by Jones.

• Behind the Scenes Footage (40:22, SD) takes viewers back to the early 1990s, where the worked out the specifics of "Mosquito," with cameras documenting rehearsals and the film shoot, along with warehouse antics and crew camaraderie. The footage can be viewed with or without commentary by Jones.

• Still Gallery (4:30) presents 50 stills from "Mosquito," including production and publicity shots.

• And a Trailer (3:03, SD) is included.

Mosquito Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Mosquito" goes explosive for its grand finale, using overkill to make sure the audience walks away satisfied. The superfluous aggression isn't necessary, as screentime devoted to simple attack sequences executed with various special effects is more than enough to carry excitement and visual oddity. "Mosquito" has a nasty habit of getting bogged down in banal discussions, but Jones is aware that most viewers are seeking out the movie for the opportunity to see giant mutant mosquitoes rampage through a small town, and he's happy to provide the nightmare on multiple occasions.