Prehistoric giant scorpions are terrorizing the Mexican countryside. It's up to scientist Richard Denning to put a stop to them. An enjoyable 'giant bug' movie from a decade that specialized in them. It's not one of my favorites of this particular horror subgenre but it is fun. The highlights of the film are the stop-motion special effects created by Willis O'Brien and sexy Mara Corday as the rancher Richard Denning immediately falls for (who can blame him?). For his part, Denning does fine in another of those cardboard hero roles that were common in 1950s sci-fi and horror films. The supporting cast of mostly Mexican actors adds some flavor to things. The amazing stop-motion effects are what most people will love about this one. It's definitely worth a look if you're a fan of 1950s sci-fi and horror. A little slow-going early on but never dull.

I don't know why the haters bother to watch flicks like this, you've got to know going in that it'll be pure Velveeta. With an explosive intro before any opening credits, the picture sets up the viewer for a veritable smorgasbord of creepy, crawly creatures that are enough to satisfy any fan of Fifties schlock horror.I appreciate the fact that no cheesy, pseudo-scientific rationale was offered for the giant scorpions in the picture, they were just there when the local Mexican volcano went kablooey. The first one appears about a half hour into the picture, after we get such appetite whetting teases as a 'demon bull' of the Maricopa on the prowl. What's also interesting is that the scorpion hordes don't necessarily act in tandem against their human rivals, they actually battle each other! Out of the melee, one giant creature comes on the scene to claim the film's title as The Black Scorpion. Just like it's Tyrannosaurus forebear, he was given the name Scorpionida Rex by one of the Mexican scientists, a neat touch indeed.The only downside to the story was how relatively easily the military defeated the big buggers for the finale. They simply aimed for their weak spot and applied an electrified jolt to their vulnerable throat. For the principal players, it wasn't difficult to see how they got upstaged by their arachnid counterparts. American scientist Hank Scott (Richard Denning) probably said it best when he and Artur Ramos (Carlos Rivas) first made their way to the floor of the scorpion cave - "We've just hit bottom".

Scott (Richard Denning) and Ramos (Carlos Rivas) are geologists taking a closer look at an area in Mexico after a recent volcanic eruption. Near the village of San Lorenzo, they find an abandoned patrol car, a baby without parents and later a dead officer. There is some superstition around, a tale of a demon bull who may be responsible for killed and missing people, but the 2 scientists soon find there are gigantic black scorpions on the loose instead, released by the volcano from their underground hiding place. Scott descends into the cave where the came from, and there are so many scorpions down there in tunnels that stretch for miles that it seems impossible to kill all of the monsters...This is one of the great 50s monster movies that deserves to be listed shortly after 'Tarantula', 'Them!' and the like. First, there are great animated sequences from special effects master Willis O'Brien ('King Kong'). Scenes like the fight between scorpions and a worm in the cave or the train attack are great examples of his stop motion technique. Second, the movie was filmed near an active volcano with real smoke in the background, an impressive, rugged landscape. Third, the music contributes a lot to the tension, too. The whole atmosphere works. Unfortunately, the actors remain pale and deliver their lines like in a typical B movie rush, but otherwise it's a great movie for its time and genre.

The only "Big Bug" movie of the fifties to use stop-motion animation (supervised by King Kong's Willis O'Brien). All the others opted for real insects or large caricatures with varying results.Once things get going, there are a goodly amount of monster scenes that range from outstanding and atmospheric to cheap and superficial. The non effects remainder of the movie is typical tripe with a rather lacking love interest and a little boy who intrudes incessantly. The Mexican locale is used to effect with some creepy sets and landmark inclusions. Of course the real star is the title character and assorted crawlers . They don't disappoint. The middle staging of the descent underground and the train wreck sequence are remarkable and the finale, while a bit contrived, is done with low-budget luminosity.Categorically the film stands ahead of its contemporaries and is an overlooked work that while restricted by its production, can stand proudly as a unique undertaking that looks quite classy and is different enough to elevate the movie to cult status. Mostly ignored by casual purveyors of the Sci-Fi pictures of the era.