I saw this movie at a very young age and, even then, decided it was awesome. I have watched many movies about mutant bugs and crawly things, but this is my favorite. Why? Because it is ridiculous. Super-duper cockroaches, eh? They light things on fire, huh? Well, then. I want one!
I don't have a problam with bugs if they are smaller than my pinky nail. Otherwise I try to stay away from the big ol' ones. And I think if I lived in Podunkville, USA, like in the movie, and a giant earthquake cracked open the ground and suddenly random bushes were LIGHTING ON FIRE, I would probably leave. But dear old mad scientist, Professor James (Jim-Jam) Parmiter decided to stay and train the little rock looking buggers like puppies. That seems like a plan, doesn't it? Training mutant roaches to do your bidding and bring you drinks and cheesecake? Yeah. I thought so, too.
In the end of course, Jim-Jam learns that he shouldn't toy with mother nature as she can get very angry. For some reason, I can't even IMAGINE why, the roaches get ticked off and run amok, eventually killing Jim-Jam and then ... going back into the giant crack in the earth where they came from...? That seems like kind of a weak ending. I think the roaches should have given the townspeople a beating and then had their best Bug candidate run for mayor. I know who I would vote for...