Ticks(1993)
1993 · Tony Randel · 85 min
Teens camping in a northern California retreat are terrorized by mutant insects created by evil, polluting pot farmers.
Horror · Science Fiction
5.7188 votes
TMDB score
3/5
Intensity
4/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Ticks scares
It feels like a goofy creature-feature romp rather than anything that will actually unsettle you, with cheesy tension building toward gross-out payoffs instead of dread. The pacing moves in bursts: quiet camping scenes get interrupted by bug attacks and body horror gags that go for a gross laugh as much as a scare. Expect rubbery practical effects, bodies bursting with critters, and a general sense of fun trashy horror rather than anything heavy. It's a good pick if you want to laugh and cringe with friends, not if you want to feel truly scared or shaken afterward.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Ticks rates psychological 1/5, visceral 4/5, gore 4/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 3/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 4 of 5
- Gore: 4 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 3 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 65 of 100 — leans Jump scares
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-building creature-feature setup that steadily escalates into a nonstop, gross-out finale.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 4, 3, 4, 5.
How scary is Ticks?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Ticks rates 3/5 — solidly scary, delivering its fear through jump scares more than lingering dread. It attacks the body more than the mind — physical, in-your-face horror. Expect it to be heavy on gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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