Tail Sting
Encyclopedia
Tail Sting is a 2001 film whose plot consists of genetically enhanced
giant scorpion
s wreaking havoc on board an airplane
.
a hijack attempt is made on a van leaving a genetic engineering institute in New South Wales
. The hijackers are thwarted by Security Guard Fred (Joe Boony) who gets the cargo to an airport in Melbourne
.
A cancelled flight at the airport forces an unlikely mix of characters to board a chartered flight to Los Angeles rather than wait for a plane the following day. This includes a girls karate
team, a businessman desperate not to miss a meeting in the US (Dave McCracken), and a mix of others including a group of scientists accompanied by Fred.
Shortly into the flight it is revealed that one of the scientists, Scott Milhouse (Ray Davis), planned the hijacking attempt. The van contained genetically modified scorpions intended to be used to develop new drugs to fight AIDS
and cancer
. The scorpions excessive size is blamed on the fact they were cloned and engineered using DNA
from "loads of things", including prehistoric scorpions. Milhouse intends to sell specimens to an unknown third party. As Fred foiled the hijack attempt, Milhouse decides to steal some of the specimens himself. He attempts to move some of the specimens into a coffin in the plane's cargo hold when Fred interrupts. A fight ensues and Milhouse accidentally kills Fred. Milhouse moves the specimens before balancing the coffin on the edge of a container and leaving the hold.
Soon thereafter the coffin tumbles from its perch and the scorpions are released. The scorpions grow to immense proportions and kill several members of the crew and passengers. The pilot, Captain Jack Russel, realises something is amiss when he finds his navigator dead in the cargo hold. His fears are confirmed when a scorpion drops into the cockpit and attempts to sting him.
Milhouse's mental state deteriorates and he accidentally shoots the head scientist with Fred's gun, which also causes one of the plane's doors to open. Several people and all but one of the scorpions are sucked out of the plane.
Milhouse is stung by the queen scorpion and the others lose track of him. Captain Jack loses his eyes to the scorpion, prompting his love interest Dr. Ryan to set out on a mission to kill the queen while Courtney, a member of the karate team, acts as Captain Jack's eyes in the cockpit.
Ryan corners the queen at the plane's minibar, but Milhouse reappears and points out that he has been stung so many times that he is immune to the scorpion's venom. Ryan pushes Milhouse into the grip of the queen, then zaps the scorpion moments before the plane lands.
Captain Jack and Ryan leave the plane together, having fallen in love. As everyone departs the plane, a normal-sized scorpion runs across the runway.
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
giant scorpion
Scorpion
Scorpions are predatory arthropod animals of the order Scorpiones within the class Arachnida. They have eight legs and are easily recognized by the pair of grasping claws and the narrow, segmented tail, often carried in a characteristic forward curve over the back, ending with a venomous stinger...
s wreaking havoc on board an airplane
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
.
Plot
In AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
a hijack attempt is made on a van leaving a genetic engineering institute in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. The hijackers are thwarted by Security Guard Fred (Joe Boony) who gets the cargo to an airport in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
.
A cancelled flight at the airport forces an unlikely mix of characters to board a chartered flight to Los Angeles rather than wait for a plane the following day. This includes a girls karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
team, a businessman desperate not to miss a meeting in the US (Dave McCracken), and a mix of others including a group of scientists accompanied by Fred.
Shortly into the flight it is revealed that one of the scientists, Scott Milhouse (Ray Davis), planned the hijacking attempt. The van contained genetically modified scorpions intended to be used to develop new drugs to fight AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
and cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
. The scorpions excessive size is blamed on the fact they were cloned and engineered using DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
from "loads of things", including prehistoric scorpions. Milhouse intends to sell specimens to an unknown third party. As Fred foiled the hijack attempt, Milhouse decides to steal some of the specimens himself. He attempts to move some of the specimens into a coffin in the plane's cargo hold when Fred interrupts. A fight ensues and Milhouse accidentally kills Fred. Milhouse moves the specimens before balancing the coffin on the edge of a container and leaving the hold.
Soon thereafter the coffin tumbles from its perch and the scorpions are released. The scorpions grow to immense proportions and kill several members of the crew and passengers. The pilot, Captain Jack Russel, realises something is amiss when he finds his navigator dead in the cargo hold. His fears are confirmed when a scorpion drops into the cockpit and attempts to sting him.
Milhouse's mental state deteriorates and he accidentally shoots the head scientist with Fred's gun, which also causes one of the plane's doors to open. Several people and all but one of the scorpions are sucked out of the plane.
Milhouse is stung by the queen scorpion and the others lose track of him. Captain Jack loses his eyes to the scorpion, prompting his love interest Dr. Ryan to set out on a mission to kill the queen while Courtney, a member of the karate team, acts as Captain Jack's eyes in the cockpit.
Ryan corners the queen at the plane's minibar, but Milhouse reappears and points out that he has been stung so many times that he is immune to the scorpion's venom. Ryan pushes Milhouse into the grip of the queen, then zaps the scorpion moments before the plane lands.
Captain Jack and Ryan leave the plane together, having fallen in love. As everyone departs the plane, a normal-sized scorpion runs across the runway.