Written by: Ryan Dailey
Bugs: A Trilogy, on the surface appears to be an anthology film of short horror stories centered around various types of bugs and parasites. However once the viewer starts to peel back the layers of this well done, small-budget film, it is revealed that there is more to it than being an homage to Creepshow or Trilogy of Terror.
Bugs: A Trilogy uses the mask of fictional horror to address the true horrors of being a woman.
The first story in the anthology, entitled The Hatchling, sees Diana (writer Alexandra Grunberg) attempting to put Elliot (Kobi Frumer) to bed. The child proves to be more than she can handle, with an ending that proves not all monsters live under the bed. It is not only an interesting story in terms of horror, but it is also an interesting study on the pressures thrust upon most female caretakers.
In the second segment, Parasite, Hannah (Grunberg) is being plagued by constant stomach issues. Her doctor will not listen and she feels the icy grip of isolation tightening around her. This particular segment truly conveys the feeling of abandonment and the slow descent into madness quite well. And, much like in the first tale, this entry is more than junk food horror. It is the telling of a woman’s struggle to be heard.
The third and final parable in the film is entitled, Bed Bugs. In this allegory, Elana (Grunberg) is convinced that her home is infested with the titular nocturnal blood suckers. This narration is a tour de force in the film. It is a brilliant metaphor for the ghosts of the past and maternal pressure haunting an individual.
With the state of entertainment being what it is currently, studios are pushing agendas, the “woke” movement pressing forward and the like. Bugs: A Trilogy is doing what every suit behind a big name studio can and will not do, and that is to deliver entertainment that wants the viewer to think and make their own conclusions. Bugs: A Trilogy is written and acted in such a way that it does not blatantly shove the messages hidden in each story down the viewer’s throat, but asks them to dig for it, all while being greatly entertained.
Bugs: A Trilogy is streaming on Tubi, Amazon,Vudu and Google.