Empire of the Ants

Empire of the Ants (1977) is a Bert I. Gordon sci-fi horror romp you can watch online on iFILM. Con-artist realtor Marilyn lures a busload of gullible investors out to a wild stretch of the Florida Everglades called Dreamland Shores, dangling promises of a fortune once the swamp gets developed.

The land does hide a surprise, just not the one in the glossy brochure. Barrels of toxic waste were dumped offshore, the containers split open, and the local ants have swollen to the size of cars. Now a cluster of overdressed guests is sprinting through the mangroves from bugs that don't just bite — they can bend people to their will. Joan Collins, all ice and ambition as Marilyn, gets her comeuppance right alongside everyone else.

The script borrows loosely from an H.G. Wells story, but Gordon reshaped it into a pure drive-in attraction: giant creatures, cheap effects, and a plot that never pretends to be clever. The tagline swore the ants would inherit the earth sooner than you think, and the movie has long been a darling of trash-sci-fi fans. Perfect for a night when you're in the mood to laugh with it, not at it. Stream Empire of the Ants (1977) online on iFILM.