History Film / Them

[[quoteright:300:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/them-poster-cropped_7566.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:300:Could be worse. [[TemptingFate At least it's not giant hornets.]]]]

Not to be confused with the 2006 French horror film ''[[Film/{{Ils}} Them]]'' or the 1960s blues-rock band fronted by Music/VanMorrison.

* StayInTheKitchen: Impressively averted, considering the era it was made. The military gasses the nest of giant killer ants, and the next stage is for someone to go down into the nest and confirm they're all dead. This is universally recognized as a [[DarknessEqualsDeath very bad idea]], yet HotScientist Dr. Pat Medford argues firmly and convincingly that she ''has'' to go down into the nest as her father is too old and she can't give the two male leads "a crash course in insect pathology".
** And later in the movie, when they search the drains under Los Angeles, Pat is in one of the lead jeeps looking for the new nest.

* FatalFamilyPhoto: Averted. Peterson asks of the investigators at the trailer attack scene how his kids are doing, and the man replies he and his wife have another one on the way. Instead of being another of the ants’ victims, the investigator doesn’t appear again and presumably survives,

* ImmuneToBullets: Unless you aim at the antennae, effectively blinding the ants. They're not ''completely'' immune, but quite resistant.

* ForScience: Averted. Dr. Medford is fascinated by the how the atomic radiation has mutated the ants. But he realizes that these creatures are horribly deadly and destructive, and there's no way to confine them study. He easily agrees they must be stopped, permanently.

* AdultFear: The woman is absolutely ''broken'' after learning of her husband's brutal death and her sons disappearance.

* BugWar: The antagonist are giant ants and the plots focus on stopping them from spreading around the world.

* FatalFamilyPhoto: Averted. Peterson asks of the investigators at the trailer attack scene how his kids are doing, and the man replies he and his wife have another one on the way. Instead of being another of the ants’ victims, the investigator doesn’t appear again and lresumably survives,

* InformedAbility: The ants are certainly dangerous, but Dr. Medford's prediction that they could drive hummanity to extinction seems unfounded. Even ignoring their inability to cross the oceans without some monumentally unobservant boat or plane crews (see below), pistol-caliber rounds are shown killing them. In an all-out war there'd certainly be heavy human casualties, but with the advantages of explosives, air support, and superior numbers, we'd kill them far faster than they could spawn, and eventually locate their queens.

* SplashOfColor: The entire movie is gray scale with the exception of the title at the start.

* TheMainCharactersDoEverything: Exactly why is Peterson, a New Mexico State Trooper, still hanging around assisting the FBI and the Army long after the story has left New Mexico in the dust?
** Given the security concerns, it makes sense to restrict the personnel involved to those who need to know. Peterson already knows, so it's better to keep him around. Plus, he's an experienced police officer, and obviously a combat vet, both useful qualities.

* ScreamingWoman: Used effectively (e.g. with restraint) for once. Pat Metford screams the first time she (and the audience) catch sight of a giant killer ant at close quarters, but is calm and professional the rest of the movie. And of course there's the catatonic girl who suddenly breaks into a TitleDrop when she smells a vial of formic acid.

[[quoteright:308:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/them-poster-cropped_7566.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:308:Could be worse. [[TemptingFate At least it's not giant hornets.]]]]

A classic sci-fi/horror movie from 1954, directed by Gordon Douglas, starring James Whitmore, Edmund Gwenn, Joan Weldon, and James Arness.

--> '''Peterson:''' Yea, she's standing right over there.
--> '''City official:''' Yea, I see what you mean.

* AnyoneCanDie: [[spoiler: Peterson, the first important character we meet, dies near the end.]] Very rare in 1950s cinema.
** Made worse by how [[spoiler: he's arguably one of the most likable characters, firmly established as a FriendToAllChildren (he even saves two boys from the ants before getting killed) and feels incredibly guilty when Blackburn dies. The fact that the arguably most moral and warm hearted character could be brutally killed off in this universe was the first sign the movie was not going to have a hopeful, optimistic ending...]]

* TheEndOrIsIt: [[spoiler: The ants are all wiped out, but Dr. Medford Sr. issues a grim warning; the atomic genie is out the bottle...]]

* FriendToAllChildren: Peterson. It's pretty obvious from his actions and body language that children in any kind of distress really upsets him.

-->"And there shall be destruction and darkness come over creation
-->"And the Beasts shall reign over the earth."

* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: Every layer of government behaves as rationally as it can, under the circumstances.
** An InvokedTrope when the authorities go public; before beginning their announcement, they introduce a tableful of generals and scientists to support the statement that's about to be made, so the public will believe it.

* SquareCubeLaw: Obviously ignored, but let's face it - [[NecessaryWeasel you couldn't have the movie if you didn't]].