If ever a movie was categorically mis-sold by its title, it’s Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo. The image you probably have in your mind is of some giant six-legged radioactive monster bug crushing Japanese landmarks with its mandibles. In fact, this film is a study of the Japanese nation’s obsession with insects — as pets, as symbolism, as the subject of a bestselling video game — and by extension what this tells us about the unique character of the Japanese people. It’s a rich theme but the film’s cripplingly small budget and the lack of focus of the director, Jessica Oreck, seriously hampers its success. Jessica Oreck, U, 90 mins
Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo
A study of the Japanese obsession with insects — and what this tells us about the character of the country’s people