Movie Review: Phase IV (1974)

Originally published 21 Feb 2018 on Odyssey at https://www.theodysseyonline.com/retro-review-phase-iv

"A cerebral sci-fi thriller like "Arrival," but with ants and a psychedelic 1970's flair."

"Phase IV" is the lone directorial effort from legendary graphic designer Saul Bass. He is known for his iconic logo designs for companies as varied as Kleenex and AT&T, and for his movie poster illustrations for films such as "Anatomy of a Murder" and "Vertigo". It may seem strange, then, that his sole foray into filmmaking is a cerebral and frequently psychedelic science fiction film about ants and their role in the ecosystem, which is a subject decidedly far removed from Kleenex or movie posters. "Phase IV" is a wholly unique experience, one that rides the line between dry documentary and abstract beauty. It doesn't entirely stick the execution overall, but it is an undeniably different cinematic experience.

The film centers on two scientists, Ernest Hubbs and James Lesko, who are investigating unusual ant activity in a rural Arizona community following an unknown celestial event. The local ant population has apparently undergone a rapid evolution, and have begun exhibiting signs of higher intelligence. The insects construct large, geometrically perfect obelisks in the desert, and appear to be attempting to communicate through their movements, similar to bees. The science team sets to work in a futuristic laboratory resembling the Epcot center, struggling to decode the cryptic messages of the ants. Are they trying to communicate with humanity? If so, what do they want? The clock is ticking, as the ants exhibit exceptionally aggressive behavior, killing any local wildlife that encroaches on the hive's territory, and driving the sparse human populace from their homes. The insects begin taking on sinister qualities, immunizing themselves against the scientists' array of pesticides and sabotaging equipment by short-circuiting the systems with hordes of worker ants. Will Hubbs and Lesko be able to crack the mysterious hive mind of the intelligent ants, or will the seemingly small threat prove to be too large for two men to handle?

The strength of "Phase IV" is its visual presentation. The ability to communicate weighty, abstract ideas through abstract montages of ant footage is an impressive feat. The ants are filmed in beautiful nature documentary style close-up by Ken Middleham (who also filmed the microphotography for the Academy Award-winning etymology documentary "The Hellstrom Chronicle") that casts them as creatures of an entrancing alien quality. By contrast, the two human scientists are constantly dwarfed by their own mechanical surroundings, like some high tech ant farm cross-section. The contrasts of organic and mechanical surroundings raise many interesting ideas about the role of our increasing mechanization of the environment. Outwardly, the movie may be about two scientists trying to talk to ants, but the movie brushes with many interesting environmental concerns that were popular talking points in the 1970s. The implications are sinister: if something as small as an ant can throw the entire ecosystem out of balance, how badly are we screwing things up on a grander scale? Ultimately, the film takes a bit of a compromise and settles for "2001: A Space Odyssey" style psychedelic visuals as a substitute for any sort of concrete answers to the admittedly broad questions it raises. Although, to be fair, the only way the film could have given any kind of concrete resolution would probably have required some form of lengthy narration, which would derail the film's hypnotic flow.

"Phase IV" is a film completely unlike any I've ever seen. It takes Michael Crichton style hard science fiction and fuses it with an otherworldly mysticism. The results are flawed, leaning a bit too much into the hippie psychedelia for its own good at times, but it's undeniably fascinating to watch. If you enjoyed the intense linguistic science of Denis Villeneuve's "Arrival", this is certainly worth looking into. There's nothing else quite like it.

Rating: 7/10