Wow, what a final 30 minutes. I liked it up until that point; then Agnes (Judd) simply goes WAY overboard, which I guess we could all see coming, but it simply wasn't believable... "I AM THE SUPER MOTHER BUG!!!" ?? Puh-leeze. Probably works much better on the stage. Oh well, at least it wasn't boring. The actor who plays Peter (Michael Shannon) gives an incredible performance. And Judd looks pretty darn good naked.… Expand

hello? hello? are you kidding me? where are the bugs? two crazy lonely people that can't face reality alone. don't we have enough of that in our day to day lives.

Very slow and pointless. Terrible beginning, middle, and end. Not even worth seeing for free.

Surprisingly strong adaptation of a very tricky play to pull off. Friedkin is in top form playing with lighting and the limited set better than any film in years. The performances are exceptional, from the smaller role of Brian F. O'Byrne to the leads Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon. Not a traditional horror film by any stretch of the imagination, but truly disturbing in a way no horror film in recent memory has even attempted to reach for.… Expand

For anyone who has ever been around a person on the edge of sanity this was a very chilling portrayal of the descent into madness. A great real-life horror film with fantastic acting and direction.

Can I give this a -1?? Warning: Stay Away From This Movie!! Do not pay any money whether at the cinema or as a rental. I begged my wife to let us leave the theater to no avail. She wanted to see if it got better. It got worse. People were laughing and leaving. By far the worst movie I have ever seen. Ashley Judd's career is officially over, RIP... her husband won the Indy 500, so at least someone is doing well. The Critics Gave This Slop a 60, So It Is Official, Critics Know Nothing About Movies...… Expand

Previews for Bug made the movie seem like a thriller about a virus that causes insanity or delusions

The biggest problem with this movie was the way it was marketed. This is not a horror movie. It's not a science fiction movie. It's a drama. If you approach it as a dramatic film and take a second to think about the plot and the characters you may actually see an interesting movie about a couple of desperate people who find solice in each others insanity. Others seem to be approaching it in hopes of seeing people who get eaten alive by some kind of alien insects or a skin eating virus. Those people seem to be the ones who are writing negative reviews. Though, that's the problem studios face when they try to sell thoughtful films to a mass audience. The mass audience doesn't really understand it and "knee-jerkedly" call it stupid.… Expand

Great horror film one of the best of the year by far one of the best ever, go see this movie, it has great acting and it's overall a great experience.

The only reason I am giving this movie a "1" is because Ashley Judd is a fantastic actress; her character in this movie is sweet, desperate, and vulnerable, and you can't help but be convinced. Otherwise, I will say that this is the absolute worst movie I can ever remember seeing in a theatre. Do not be deceived by the critic reviews, this movie will waste 2 hours of your life... We left the theatre amid snickers and mad comments from fellow audience members; apparently no one could believe that they had wasted money on this movie, much less that the movie ever made it to the big screen. It starts off slow & never picks up, and just goes downhill from there, spiraling into a train wreck of weirdness and stupidity. If you want to see a film about paranoia, stick with "A Beautiful Mind" or take a psych class. It would've been almost comical if I hadn't spent twenty bucks on the tickets. Heed my warning; don't waste your hard-earned money.… Expand

First movie in a long while that I was tempted to walk out on. This flick is for only those people who like to watch wack-o people doing their wack-o thing.

MY rating is a bit of a cop-out. The movie is excellant , IF you decided to see it and you go in knowing something about what's in the film.At times it seemed very David Lynch-ish. If someone is billing this as a horror film or a slasher movie they got it wrong. It's a well done , small film about insanity/madness and how bizarre and far away from reality someone can get. It9;s a well crafted , well acted movie about a subject few may find entertaining to watch. It's about as far as one can get from being a popcorn movie.… Expand

I cannot believe that the critics found this movie so intriguing. I had to convince my husband to stay thinking it may get better. I was mistaken. The movie began badly and continued to get worse as the movie progressed. It was painful to watch 2 people become more and more insane as the movie proceeds. I could not recommend this movie to anyone even as a renter. I normally find value in every movie I see but this was a waste of 2 hours and $9.… Expand

Don't waste your time with this piece of nothing.

The worst movie ever! I will be asking for a refund on this movie. Someone must've owed a favor to let this movie hit theatres!!

This movie made absolutely no sense whatsoever please do not waste your precious time (which its so not worth) and money to see this senseless film. By the way there were no BUGS in the movie...and a total of seven characters. Wow this is the first and worst ever movie for me.

Luv the user reviews. Either its a very low score or a very high score, not much in between. And that likely shows that this is a great, unique movie experience. I rated it high obviously. This being because it was such a great ride to go on with the characters. I only wish we had been completely stuck in the motel room with the characters the entire movie instead of straying to the outside world on occasion. Other than that, the acting was superb and very believable. Micheal Shannon plays one of the craziest people ever and yet comes off intelligent and makes you want to believe what he is preaching. Agnes falls right for it and becomes just as crazy as Peter. I plan to watch it again because I know for a fact there are subtle things I missed....only really good movies require a second viewing to fully understand the movie as a whole IMO.… Expand

Tense and totally engrossing. Amazing performances.

An awesomely creepy look at how delusion and paranoia can spread. Unbelievable acting. The first half is a little slow, but it becomes more and more creepy as it builds up to a very powerful end. As a Psych major, I ate it up. I have never seen anything else to even begin to compare it to! Unique and clever. A must-see for anyone interested in the human psyche.

What a great acting job. I really unique movie Think Ashley Judd out did herself; what a contrast to her past movies. Harry Conick is not quite as believable, but I really liked Michael Shannon...it was nice to see a newcomer in the mix.

Not the average slasher/horror film many may be expecting... there were several walkouts at the screening I attended (all chatty teenagers with too-active cell phones, I'll say). This is basically an intense, psychological arthouse film, more potent and sophisticated than the teen fare we've been inundated with lately. Definitely for the adventurous cineaste.

Distasteful is all that I can say. WHY would Ashley Judd make play a role as a drugged-up, alcoholic, lesbo? Is this a good career move? It was certainly misrepresented in the trailers as a sci-fi horror movie, which it is not. Virtually everyone coming out of the movie wanted a refund. I even saw someone coming out warn away someone who was buying a ticket for the next showing.

The "Showgirls" of Horror!!! The most unintentionally funny thriller in recent memory. I am very surprised people are taking Bug" seriously. At fault - Friedkin 100%. It starts out fine with charming, subtle and quirky humor when the bugs start to come out, he has Judd and Shannon hamming it up so greatly that all sense of reality is broken and it's then that the movie becomes a comedy. I saw the film in a crowded Chicago theater and we roared with laughter! Even the set in the final scene got laughs. A well-made film but totally misguided with very poor choices abounding. Still, my advice is, "Go see it! It's hysterical!"… Expand

This movie has no redeeming value... it is clear that it was made for the stage and was probably a decent enough piece for the theater, but it dies a painful and annoying death on the screen. The theater was full when it started and half the people walked out along the way... I kept waiting for it to turn the corner, however, perhaps mercifully the credits started to roll.

If one intends to enjoy this film thoroughly, one must unequivocally submit themselves to it, investing every ounce of attention and logical reasoning possible. At times, this can be very exhausting, considering the fact that the causes and effects of the storyline are not wholly apparent. However, with that being said, the film is not a passive experience, and this bit of success can be attributed to the claustrophobic-style of filming that can only be executed this well by the director, William Friedkin. Also, Ashley Judd and the relatively new actor Michael Shannon provide astounding performances, seeming to abandon themselves to their characters. Connick, Jr. also provides a gritty performance, worthy of applaud. Nonetheless, the screenplay is based on a theatrical play written by Steppenwolf grad Tracy Letts, which speaks volumes to me: Bug would probably fare much better on stage than on screen.… Expand

the most appealing part of the movie were the preveiws before it, not even flashing some breasts makes the movie watchable

Its not the gory gross out torture movie that the current horror fans seem to want, but its a movie with great acting, very original, and really "gets under your skin."

"Bug" is a love story and love makes you do crazy things; that is the essence of the film's "What if Mulder was insane?" scenario. Agnes(Ashley Judd) is on the pipe and snorts coke, but love is the real drug she's hooked on. Not since Jodie Foster in "Nell" has a big-time actress risk looking utterly ridiculous by making the attempt to be primal without any vanity or self-consciousness. She largely succeeds, with a lot of help from Michael Shannon. Although "Bug" needs the time to establish Peter as a benevolent character, more time could've been devoted to the building of suspense rather than the construction of tedium. After all, "Bug" is largely a filmed play. But give the filmmaker credit for not resorting to CGI effects to dramatize the imagery in Peter's mind.… Expand

This definitely takes a long time to get where it's going, but the end of it is payoff worth the wait. A good video pick for the fall/winter.

There is a lot to like in this gritty, claustrophobic, sometimes funny, horror movie. But the writing lacks coherence and logic. The political rants are not grounded. Implausible tragedy and madness, granted, are hard to write well.

This movie was a big disappointment. The title and movie poster give the idea that the film is a science fiction/horror film along the lines of 28 Days. Only about halfway into it, did I realize it was just an overwrought drama about characters with various forms of mental illness. The opening sequence (a distance shot of a trashy motel taken by helicopter) was fantastic and full of promise (reminiscent of one of the early scenes of the 2004 remake of Dawn of the Dead which shows the carnage from a distance, by helicopter), but how boring to realize that the movie is not about real bugs (an interesting topic in these days of germ warfare) but imagined ones.… Collapse

Terrible movie. If you had nothing to do on a rainy Saturday afternoon, and you were stuck inside in traction; and your TV were stuck on one channel; and Bug was playing on that channel, I would still not recommend it. It is really bad. Ashley Judd way over acted. Her co-star, what's his name, is much better. This is an adaptation of a stage play, and maybe if you really like stage acting, you will enjoy it. I personally do not like the over-dramatization necessary for stage acting and I really did not like Bug.… Expand

Bug was a good movie. Not what I expect, but good. I think most people who didn't like this movie expected a run-of-the-mill horror flick. Well it wasn't one, sorry you retards don't understand anything beyond Van Helsing.

It tries to present two sides of a story that leaves the viewer in a state of stupendous wonder. Instead, they leave thinking "why should i care?!?!"

Bug is stupendous. It

I'll have to go in between.....awesome acting, and the first hour or so is really intriguing..and then it sinks into craziness. Oh, and there are no bugs to be seen, in case you're wondering. Great performances by Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon if that's your things. And some full frontal nudity if you wanna see what Judd looks like with no clothes on but other than that nothing to write home about. A strange movie indeed....… Expand

Suspension of disbelief is what my professors & books said about filmmaking... This film, sadly, does not allow me to experience that concept after the first 30 minutes. It starts out very slow and then just gets unbelievable. SPOILER ALERT (kind of) - how do you not get kicked out of a motel with no income...how long does it take for a working, responsible, lonely person to become totally insane (there is NO concept of time in this film, that's why I ask...days/weeks/months/who knows)...why would the ex not pop-in a little quicker once the screaming begins...why would a pizza show up at that moment and nothing come from it - nothing at all... I wanted to like it but the last 20 minutes I had my hand on the remote ready to hit the power button. That's what I get for being curious.… Expand

that was the biggest waste of my time. What is the deal with the bugs, are they really there or are the people just delusional? And was it really necessary to light yourself on fire? The only part that sparked any emotion is me is the pity i felt for Ashley Judd's character, that she needed to be loved so bad that she was willing to put up with psycho path bug boy. Lame.

I love this movie it totally tore my heart out at the end!

Even though I was bored through most of the movie, and the ending wasn't very brutal, or surprising, I still liked this movie. It is not based on a formula, and it is memorable. What more can one ask for?

Very interesting film. Not at all what I expected (I imagine that's a common observation of this film). I thoroughly enjoyed the ride into madness experienced by Ashley's character, and the gleeful way in which Michael Shannon's character led (not dragged) her into the abyss. I thought both were superb in their roles. And there was just enough of a crack in the door to make you wonder if in fact they were insane at all or if the military really had done something heinous to them (e.g. was the "doctor" really even there?)… Expand

Come on, critic-people, this is not a good movie. I saw the play with Michael Shannon and he and it have not translated well to the screen. It's just stupid... at times, laughably so. It would have taken real interpretive talent (way beyond Ashley Judd's skill set, never mind Harry Conick Jr.'s) to bring off what has here just been done by the numbers. Maybe the material is just so whacked the reviewers thought it had to be important.… Expand

By its denouement, it was shrill. Friedkin turned tone deaf two-thirds of the way in, and I'm growing here for compliments. The leads are admirable with decent material, but the tiring focus on Judd and Shannon's descent into self-destruction is anemic.

This is the worst waste of time and money I have ever encountered...I was sorely tempted to leave half-way through the show.

While it is clear that the trailers represented a different film, this was a good cinematic experience in its own right. This was based on a play that was classified as 'horror/comedy.' All comedic moments ARE intentional, if not a little uncomfortable. This film explores the psychology of the characters, and despite others comments to the contrary, this film shows Ashley Judd is a fantastic actress. Don't go see this if you are expecting 'Slither.' You won't find it here.… Expand

This is Ashley Judd's finest performance to date. And her co-star Michael Shannon keeps pace with the raw emotion of the plot. This is not a horror film except for the horror that occurs in people's minds when they lose touch with reality. The movie is a scary portrait of what can happen when two people with the same distorted perspective get together and re-enforce each other's delusions until they become real. It suggests why some succumb to such charismatic destructive leaders like Jim Jones and other suicidal martyrs. This movie is not for the faint of heart. It is not a date movie for those looking for light entertainment. But it is a movie that will leave you thinking.… Expand

Absolutely the worst movie ever made, ok, maybe not ever made. I too wanted my money back as did just about everyone in the theater. Why would such a talented actress to this to herself. I love scifi, but this was definitely not that. A huge disappointment. Run far, far away. Don't even recommend spending money to rent it, as it will be out on video soon enough.

This was one of the worst movies I have ever seen...I was expecting it to be good after reading that it received so many favorable reviews, but I was severely disappointed. It started off ok, but just as soon as I thought it was going to get really interesting it just got irritating. The dialogue was too forced, and the last 20 minutes were way too over the top and it ended in the most disappointing way...definitely do not recommend it.… Expand

Unbelievably bad movie! Total waste of money, horrible story, you name it. Probably in the top 10 worst movies of all time.

I hadn't even seen the previews before I saw this flick. I wasn't expecting a horror movie and had an open mind. What I saw rivaled the "Ernest Goes To....." movies in its retardedness. I can't believe this movie was even made. Not even Ashley Judd's marginally attractive breasts could make up for the worst screenplay in years. If you liked this movie, I can virtually guarantee you own a Nickelback CD.… Expand

worst movie of the year. It's watching two mildly retarded people talking in a hotel room becoming more and more paranoid. The plot makes no sense. This is not a thriller nor a horror. It is not intense nor provocative. It is ridiculous, slow, and confusing.

Blew me away! Starts off slow. I actually looked at the CD blurb to see if I had picked up a drama rather than a horror flick. But just hang on. Let the movie steep you like a bag of tea in hot water. The scorch is coming. Hang on! Loved it. Would like to see more filmmaking of this caliber.

This film is a huge **** It starts off interesting and ends perfectly and it shows just how far 2 people can go into madness. I think the leads were great and played their roles perfectly. I really liked this film.

**** great. Utterly mis-marketed. Michael Shannon gives a spellbinding performance that will stand the test of time with some of the great characters of the last 20 years.

The plot is interesting but its rather confusing as well and will probably require a second watch or even a third to really understand it. The acting is amazing though and the cast is severely underrated imo. Michael Shannon plays his part perfectly. Its well worth the watch imo.