Them!(1954)
1954 · Gordon Douglas · 94 min
As a result of nuclear testing, gigantic, ferocious mutant ants appear in the American desert southwest, and a father-daughter team of entomologists join forces with the state police officer who first discovers their existence, an FBI agent and, eventually, the US Army to eradicate the menace, before it spreads across the continent — and the world.
Science Fiction · Horror
6.8483 votes
TMDB score
2/5
Intensity
1/5
Gore
2/5
Stays with you
How Them! scares
Them! builds slowly like an old detective story, with investigators piecing together clues before the real threat is ever fully shown. Once the giant ants appear, the fear comes from tense stand-offs and action-style peril rather than blood or shock scares. It plays more like a tense adventure than a nightmare, with 1950s creature-feature charm instead of real dread. Good for viewers who like classic monster movies and don't need gore or heavy scares to enjoy the ride.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Them! rates psychological 2/5, visceral 3/5, gore 1/5, lingering effect 2/5, and overall intensity 2/5.
- Psychological: 2 of 5
- Visceral: 3 of 5
- Gore: 1 of 5
- Lingering: 2 of 5
- Intensity: 2 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 25 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 30 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 15 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A slow, mysterious opening builds steadily into escalating action set-pieces, with the tension staying high through a busy, action-packed final stretch.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 4.
How scary is Them!?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Them! rates 2/5 — moderately scary, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. Some of it will follow you to bed, but it lets go within a day or so.
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