What Is Locusts About?
The premise of Locusts in 281 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a near‑future America where scientific ambition brushes the edge of disaster, a laboratory in Virginia harbors a startling experiment: a strain of locusts engineered to outlive pesticides and reproduce at an alarming pace. The atmosphere crackles with a blend of sleek government precision and an undercurrent of unease, as the nation’s food supply hangs in a delicate balance, threatened by a menace that is both natural and manufactured.
At the heart of this tension is Maddy Rierdon, a seasoned USDA investigator whose expertise makes her the country’s most reliable shield against agricultural catastrophes. Paired with her analytical partner Dan Dryer, whose diplomatic background adds a broader geopolitical perspective, Maddy navigates a world where science, policy, and personal conviction intersect. Their dynamic is a study in quiet determination, each bringing a different kind of resolve to a problem that could ripple far beyond the fields.
Supporting them is Peter Axelrod, a veteran scientist whose deep knowledge of the locust project places him in a precarious position between discovery and responsibility. Alongside him, Vivian, a liaison from the agency’s oversight office, ensures that the frantic pace of research is matched by bureaucratic scrutiny. These characters form a network of professionals whose loyalties are to the nation’s wellbeing, yet whose personal stakes hint at the broader human cost of a potential crisis.
The film’s tone is taut and methodical, weaving suspense through lab corridors, government briefings, and the quiet moments that reveal what drives each character. As the possibility of a sweeping infestation looms, the story invites viewers to contemplate how ingenuity can become peril, and how a handful of determined individuals might wrestle with a threat that could reshape the American landscape.
What Happens in Locusts?
The complete story of Locusts, from the first scene to the last, in 1,239 words (about 5 minutes). Spoilers throughout.
Spoilers ahead
At a USDA lab inside the Virginia Institute of Agriculture, Gina, [Amanda Baker], accompanied by her boyfriend Willy, [Drew Seeley], enters a sealed glass room full of Australian plague locusts to feed them. Willy balks at entering the space, so Gina bravely steps inside with a ficus tree, joking that they’re “grasshoppers, not tarantulas,” and asks Willy to seal the outer door behind her. The swarm surprises them, but they manage to escape with their lives, shaken by what they’ve witnessed. > grasshoppers, not tarantulas
In Georgetown, Washington, D.C., Maddy Rierdon, [Lucy Lawless], and her partner Dan Dryer, [Dylan Neal], begin a quiet morning until a call from Vivian, [Esperanza Catubig], disrupts their plans. Vivian informs Maddy that a VIA lab has been flagged by the GAO. Maddy heads into the lab, where she reunites with Peter Axelrod, [John Heard], a former professor who now reports to her at the USDA. Peter takes Maddy to Lab C-12, the very room Gina and Willy fled from, and extracts a single locust for examination. He reveals the insects are not ordinary locusts; they are hybrids—crossed with the desert locust and engineered to resist pesticides and reproduce at an alarming rate. The moment is chilling, and Maddy, horrified, argues that this is a bioweapon and orders its extermination. Scientists in protective suits spray the room with chemicals and flames to kill all the locusts, saving only a handful that are placed into a tube labeled “biohazard.”
A crisis sprouts when the extermination is botched: the jar containing the remaining locusts is dropped in a sink, allowing several to escape. The technicians flee as the insects slip away unseen, and, over the coming hours, the problem expands far beyond the lab. The same locusts are then carried aboard a military plane from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland toward Beale Air Force Base in California, but chaos follows when an insect-struck case is dropped and later crushed by an army truck, releasing the remaining four insects into the air.
One month later, Maddy discovers she is pregnant, a revelation she tries to share with Dan, who is away at the United Nations when she calls. In California, a couple camping by the American River awaken to find their tent filled with locusts, and soon after, a massive swarm descends on the Napa Valley, devastating crops and vegetation. Maddy, traveling with the USDA’s Voracious Insect Mobile Research Lab, tracks the swarms and realizes they are moving toward populated areas.
Meanwhile, in Leesburg, Virginia, Peter—now reunited with his wife Terry, [Caroline McKinley], and their daughter Sofia, [Jenna Hildebrand]—begins to sense the threat. The buzzing becomes audible to Peter, who spots the swarms approaching after a moment of tension with his family. The locusts descend on a school bus, biting and stunning the children before the bus can be evacuated. In Napa, the locusts strip every shrub and tree bare, leaving a barren landscape in their wake.
Back in Washington, D.C., Dan tracks the alert on his computer as a formal “locust infestation advisory” is issued. Maddy and her team coordinate with Vivian to locate Peter, who is being held at Fort Douglas as a potential bioweapons suspect. In Visalia, California—far from the initial outbreaks—the locusts target a citrus festival, forcing evacuation as the swarms close in. Peter tries to help, but Maddy insists that he stay away from the spreading nightmare.
As the swarms push toward Pittsburgh, the Weather Service confirms the moving pattern and provides forecasts that help Maddy anticipate the next strike. The nation braces for impact as the two swarms—theVirginia group and the one that hit California—reach a critical stage, threatening major cities and critical infrastructure.
In Pittsburgh, the locusts enter office buildings through air vents, causing chaos as a cargo plane near the airport encounters the swarm and crashes. The public learns that the swarms are connected to Peter, a revelation that leads to his arrest by the FBI. In Washington, a high-stakes DHS meeting convenes a plan: some officials want to deploy a toxic VX nerve agent to exterminate the insects, while Maddy and her allies push for a safer, nonlethal alternative. The meeting features General Miller, [Gregory Alan Williams], Secretary Morales, [Mike Gomez], Senator Clauson, [Margaret Lawhon], Director Rusk, [Mark Costello], and Lorelei Wentworth, [Natalija Nogulich], who is a key voice for the Department of Energy. Dan, who has become a close ally, supports an alternative approach.
Peter finally reveals the truth to Maddy: the locusts are his creation. The team travels to Fort Douglas to confront him, and Peter explains the extent of the bioweapon’s power, its resilience, and the terrible potential of using VX as a weapon. Maddy is incensed but recognizes the complexity of the situation. They depart, with Miller’s team calculating the bomb’s potential consequences while the public grows increasingly anxious.
With the threat escalating, Lyle, Maddy’s father—their family farm in Indiana—becomes a focal point of the plan to survive and counter the insects. Dan and Maddy travel to Indiana to shield Lyle and his cattle in a grain silo, where they hope to use a homemade electrical approach to kill the locusts. They discover that the electric fly traps around the silo can be turned into a weapon by arcing a powerful current through the silo’s metal shell, provided they can secure fuel for the generator on the far side of the farm. Peter volunteers to fetch the fuel, ultimately becoming a casualty of the swarm’s ferocity as he returns damaged and gravely injured. He dies after helping Maddy and Dan.
Armed with new knowledge from Peter, Dan and Maddy race back to Washington to intervene before the VX plan can be executed again. The DHS debate intensifies as the government contemplates using the nerve gas against both swarms or devising an electricity-based solution to protect the population. Lorelei Wentworth clarifies that a massive, controlled electric surge could be routed through the national grid to create an amplified field large enough to deter the locusts, if power can be reallocated from surrounding areas.
Maddy and Dan implement the electric strategy. They work with Wentworth to switch off large portions of the electricity grid and route the power to two major corridors, while weather balloons are deployed to lure the swarms toward the lines. The next dawn witnesses the dramatic test: the swarms are drawn to the enhanced electric field, drawn into the overloaded cables, and—despite near-misses and intense risk—the swarms are incinerated by the extraordinary surge. The plan works, and the locust threat is contained without resorting to mass civilian casualties.
In the aftermath, Maddy and Dan are celebrated for averting catastrophe, though Secretary Morales warns General Miller that his job may be in jeopardy for contemplating chemical warfare on the American people. The film closes with a hopeful note: nearly a year later, Maddy and Dan have a child together and weigh the choice between continuing their crucial work or embracing family life, ultimately choosing to prioritize their family while continuing to serve the public.
Note: Throughout the narrative, key figures appear with linked actor references at their initial appearance: Maddy Rierdon, [Lucy Lawless]; Peter Axelrod, [John Heard]; Gina, [Amanda Baker]; Willy, [Drew Seeley]; Dan Dryer, [Dylan Neal]; Sofia Axelrod, [Jenna Hildebrand]; Terry Axelrod, [Caroline McKinley]; General Miller, [Gregory Alan Williams]; Secretary Morales, [Mike Gomez]; Director Rusk, [Mark Costello]; Lorelei Wentworth, [Natalija Nogulich]; Senator Clauston, [Margaret Lawhon]; Lyle Rierden, [Mike Farrell]; Vivian, [Esperanza Catubig].
Locusts Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
12 key events in the order they happen, from “Gina exposed to locust swarm in lab” to “Epilogue: a new life after the crisis”. 12 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Gina exposed to locust swarm in lab
In a USDA VIA lab, Gina and Willy feed a swarm of Australian plague locusts. Gina descends into the glass room carrying a ficus, ignoring the protective suit, and the locusts swarm her almost immediately. Willy seals the outer door and Gina escapes, both shaken by the sheer danger of the swarm inside.
When:Night Where:USDA VIA Lab, Virginia Institute of Agriculture, Virginia
- 2
Maddy learns about the hybrid bioweapon locusts
Maddy visits Lab C-12 and meets her former professor, Peter Axelrod. Peter explains that the locusts are hybrids resistant to pesticides and capable of rapid reproduction. He demonstrates with a sealed cage and DDT, and the lab attempts extermination, saving only a few in a biohazard tube; a jar is accidentally dropped, releasing some locusts down the drain.
When:Same day Where:Lab C-12, VIA
- 3
Escape and spread of remaining insects
From Andrews Air Force Base, the remaining four insects are packed for shipment to Beale AFB. An officer is attacked by a locust and drops the sealed case on the runway; the truck then runs over the case, releasing the insects into the air. The insects begin their uncontrolled spread beyond the lab.
When:Shortly after the lab incident Where:Andrews Air Force Base runway, Maryland
- 4
One month later: swarms erupt nationwide
One month later, Maddy discovers she is pregnant as swarms erupt across the country, from the American River in California to Napa Valley. A couple camping by the river wakes to the insects and flee, while farmers brace for crop damage in California. Maddy uses the Voracious Insect Mobile Research Lab to track the swarms and begins predicting their movements.
When:One month later Where:Various locations across the United States
- 5
Leesburg attack: school bus swarmed
In Leesburg, Virginia, Peter monitors the approaching swarm as his daughter Sofia rides the school bus. The locusts attack the bus, knocking children unconscious, and Peter rushes Sofia to the hospital. The event confirms the swarms are indeed his engineered insects.
When:One month later Where:Leesburg, Virginia
- 6
Napa Valley devastation
Back in Napa Valley, the swarms strip every bush and tree to the bark, leaving the landscape barren. Maddy and her team evacuate residents and document the damage as the infestation spreads. A news feed and on-site footage capture the scale of devastation.
When:One month later Where:Napa Valley, California
- 7
Swarms reach Pittsburgh and threaten air traffic
The swarms move into Pittsburgh, filling the skies and entering offices through air vents. At the airport, a cargo plane engine fails after encountering the locusts, crashing near the runway in a fiery explosion observed by onlookers. The incident underscores the danger the insects pose to infrastructure.
When:Daytime during swarm arrival Where:Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- 8
VX gas plan proposed and thwarted
In a DHS meeting, officials debate using VX nerve gas to kill the swarms. Maddy travels with Gen. Miller and Peter to Fort Douglas, where Peter reveals details of the plan. Maddy sabotages the mission by smashing the VX container on the helicopter, forcing a retreat and exposing the plan to the public.
When:Day of the test Where:Fort Douglas, Utah; Washington, D.C.
- 9
Indiana farm near tragedy; electricity as defense
After the aborted VX plan, Maddy, Dan, and Peter travel to Indiana to help Maddy's grandfather Lyle. They shelter in a metal grain silo as the carnivorous locusts approach. Peter volunteers to fetch fuel for an outside generator and is badly wounded; the group completes an electric kill by routing current through the silo and successfully repelling part of the swarm before Peter dies.
When:Next day Where:Lyle's farm, Indiana
- 10
Electricity plan gains ground
Back in Washington, the DHS leadership agrees to an electricity-based kill. Lorelei Wentworth proposes rerouting power to create a massive electric field to lure and kill the swarms without harming people. Weather balloons are deployed to guide the locusts toward the boosted grids.
When:Day after Indiana rescue Where:Department of Homeland Security, Washington, D.C.
- 11
The final strike: swarms die by power
At dawn, power is switched off nationwide and rerouted through two major lines, amplifying the electric field. The locusts fly into the massive cables and transformers ignite, killing the swarms in a spectacular display. The operation is hailed as a breakthrough, though political fallout follows.
When:Dawn Where:Across the United States power grid
- 12
Epilogue: a new life after the crisis
One year later, Maddy and Dan have a child together, and Maddy contemplates returning to work. She acknowledges that family time is more important than the next mission. The film closes on a note of balance between duty and home.
When:One year later Where:Washington, D.C./Virginia
Who Are the Main Characters in Locusts?
16 characters, among them Maddy Rierdon (Lucy Lawless), Peter Axelrod (John Heard) and Dan Dyrer (Dylan Neal): who each one is and the part they play in the story. 15 of them link to the actor’s page.
-
Maddy Rierdon (Lucy Lawless)
Played by Lucy Lawless
Maddy is a USDA official who becomes the national leader steering the response to the locust outbreak. She grapples with political pressures, ethical questions, and the imperative to protect civilians, ultimately coordinating cross-agency action. Her resolve and pragmatic leadership drive key decisions under intense scrutiny.
- 🎯 Determined
- 🧭 Ethical
- 🧩 Leadership
-
Peter Axelrod (John Heard)
Played by John Heard
A brilliant but controversial scientist who develops the hybrid locusts, blurring the line between invention and weaponization. He is consumed by his project yet confronts the consequences when his creation threatens millions. His arc reveals the dangers of playing god with biology.
- 🧠 Brilliant
- 🧪 Scientist
- ⚠️ Dangerous
-
Dan Dyrer (Dylan Neal)
Played by Dylan Neal
Dan is Maddy’s partner who is practical and supportive, often balancing personal life with professional responsibilities. He becomes pivotal in devising non-violent responses and ultimately collaborates with Maddy to thwart the crisis.
- 💼 Professional
- 🧭 Pragmatic
- 🤝 Loyal
- G(
Gina (Amanda Baker)
Played by Amanda Baker
Gina is a lab worker who undertakes the dangerous task of feeding locusts, showing courage but also recklessness. Her encounter with the locusts triggers the outbreak’s escalation and personal stakes for those involved.
- 💪 Courageous
- ⚠️ Reckless
- 🧫 Field-oriented
- SA
Sofia Axelrod (Jenna Hildebrand)
Played by Jenna Hildebrand
Peter’s daughter, a schoolchild whose life is endangered by the locust swarm. Her attack and coma become a focal emotional point that personalizes the crisis for the family involved and the audience.
- 👧 Young
- 🛡️ Precious
- 🧭 Loved
- W(
Willy (Drew Seeley)
Played by Drew Seeley
Gina’s boyfriend who initially resists entering the lab and becomes a witness to the outbreak’s consequences. He represents cautious, ground-level perspective within the larger crisis.
- 🧭 Cautious
- 🤝 Supportive
- 🗺️ Grounded
- LR
Lyle Rierden (Mike Farrell)
Played by Mike Farrell
Maddy’s father, a farmer who faces the outbreak on his land. He collaborates with authorities and endures personal risk as the locusts threaten his livelihood and family legacy.
- 👨🌾 Farmer
- 🛡️ Steady
- ❤️ Family-first
- TA
Terry Axelrod (Caroline McKinley)
Played by Caroline McKinley
Peter’s wife who becomes involved in the unfolding family tragedy and supports Sofia while navigating the threat to their community.
- 👩👧👦 Family
- 🛡️ Protective
- 🧭 Loyal
-
General Miller (Gregory Alan Williams)
Played by Gregory Alan Williams
A high-ranking military officer who pushes for extreme measures, including the potential use of a toxin, before coalition and ethical concerns ultimately sway the plan.
- 🎖️ Authority
- 🧭 Strategic
- ⚠️ Risk-taker
- SM
Secretary Morales (Mike Gomez)
Played by Mike Gomez
The Secretary of Agriculture who negotiates policy and becomes a key political voice in whether to deploy drastic countermeasures or preserve civilian safety.
- 🗂️ Policy
- 🧭 Decision-maker
- 🛡️ Protective
- DR
Director Rusk (Mark Costello)
Played by Mark Costello
A government director who coordinates interagency response and decision-making during the crisis.
- 🗺️ Coordinator
- 🧠 Strategist
- 🛡️ Bureaucrat
- LW
Lorelei Wentworth (Natalija Nogulich)
Played by Natalija Nogulich
DOE official who helps identify an alternative to chemical warfare and advocates for leveraging power infrastructure to combat the swarm.
- 🌐 Policy-shaper
- 🧠 Insightful
- 🛡️ Pragmatic
- V(
Vivian (Esperanza Catubig)
Played by Esperanza Catubig
A GAO-connected security analyst who assists with information gathering and coordinating interagency contact during the crisis.
- 🧭 Analyst
- 🕵️♀️ Coordinated
- 🧩 Problem-solver
- FA
FBI Agent (Marcus Lyle Brown)
Played by Marcus Lyle Brown
An FBI agent involved in the investigation into the origins and handling of the locust outbreak.
- 🕵️♂️ Investigator
- 🧭 Critical thinker
- 🗂️ Bureaucrat
- SC
Senator Clauston (Margaret Lawhon)
Played by Margaret Lawhon
A senator who participates in the security briefing and decision-making process surrounding the locust threat.
- 🏛️ Legislator
- 🧠 Insightful
- 🗳️ Politically influential
- R(
Ruby (Air Traffic Controller)
Air traffic controller who faces the consequences of the swarm as planes approach. The incident highlights the stakes of crisis management in travel networks.
- 🛫 Control
- ⚡ High-stakes
- 🧭 Calm under pressure
Where and When Is Locusts Set?
Locusts is set in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., Leesburg, Virginia, Visalia, California, Napa… (early 2000s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
early 2000s
The events unfold in a contemporary, present-day setting reflecting post-9/11 security concerns and modern biothreat responses. Government and military agencies coordinate across the country to contain a rapidly spreading hybrid locust outbreak. The crisis-driven timeline drives fast, high-stakes decision-making at the highest levels.
Where
Georgetown, Washington, D.C., Leesburg, Virginia, Visalia, California, Napa Valley, California, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, Beale Air Force Base, California, Fort Douglas, Utah
Set across a network of sites nationwide, the film unfolds from a USDA lab in Virginia to major cities and rural farms. Key settings include a high-security lab, Washington, D.C. government offices, military bases, and agricultural heartlands in California and Indiana. The diverse locations emphasize the scale of the crisis and the intersection of science, government, and everyday life.
- 📍 Multiple locations
- 🧪 Research lab
- 🛡️ Government/Defense
What Are the Themes of Locusts?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Bioweapons, Family vs Duty and Tech Ethics.
-
01
Bioweapons
A hybrid locust engineered by a scientist becomes a global threat, forcing a conversation about responsibility in biological research. The story questions whether scientific ambition should be tempered by ethics when the stakes are civilian lives. It shows how easily biotechnological breakthroughs can be repurposed as weapons, regardless of intent.
-
02
Family vs Duty
Maddy’s personal life—her pregnancy and strained relationship with Dan—exists alongside a national crisis. The plot pits professional duty against family and personal happiness. The resolution hinges on balancing responsibilities toward loved ones with the need to protect the public.
-
03
Tech Ethics
The crisis prompts a debate over using extreme technologies to save lives, from nerve agents to electric-field solutions. The final plan uses a massive electricity surge to kill the locusts, highlighting both the potential and peril of technological fixes. The narrative asks whether engineering ingenuity should override ethical considerations during a public emergency.
What Kind of Film Is Locusts?
Tense in tone, with fast pacing and a straightforward story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Tense
- Pacing
- Fast
- Story
- Straightforward
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Happy
A high-stakes, fast-paced disaster thriller that generates constant anxiety as a bioengineered locust swarm threatens the nation, demanding desperate scientific and personal sacrifices from its heroes.
- anxious
- suspenseful
- catastrophic
- desperate
- urgent
- grim
- disaster film
- bioengineered threat
- government response
- scientific hubris
Content notes: creature attacks, child endangerment, mass destruction, death of a major character.
Quiz
How well do you remember Locusts? Test yourself on the story.
