Lake Placid

Name: Lake Placid
Genre: Action, Thriller, Horror, Comedy
Released: July 16, 1999
Duration: 82 min
Rating: 34
Cast: Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt

1999

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 25 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 60 Ratings

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6.3

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6.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 60 Ratings

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Lake Placid

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox 2000 Pictures | Release Date: July 16, 1999 | R

Starring: Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt

Summary: Its placid waters complement the pristine Maine wilderness it borders. This tranquil setting is probably the last place you'd expect a gruesome fatality. But then it's also the last place you?d expect to find a 30-foot, narrow-snouted, multi-toothed, reptilian of the species Crocodylus. An eating machine more commonly known as a crocodile.Its placid waters complement the pristine Maine wilderness it borders. This tranquil setting is probably the last place you'd expect a gruesome fatality. But then it's also the last place you?d expect to find a 30-foot, narrow-snouted, multi-toothed, reptilian of the species Crocodylus. An eating machine more commonly known as a crocodile. (20th Century Fox)… Expand

Director: Steve Miner

Genre(s): Action, Thriller, Horror, Comedy

Rating: R

Runtime: 82 min

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Critic Reviews

Andrew O'Hehir

As irritating as Lake Placid sometimes is, it also has an easygoing sense of fun, along with one of the more memorable movie monsters of recent years. The mismatched ingredients blend into a blissfully, stupidly surreal summer cocktail. Read full review

Liam Lacey

A formulaic thriller, treated in a style that's just shy of outright parody. Read full review

Wesley Morris

It also goes out of its way to give you a schlocky B-movie vibe by wrangling bait in the form of a bunch of Big-Gulp stupid stock characters - that's a whopping 44 oz. more stupid than you probably were bargaining for. Read full review

Scott Tobias

At least White summons the camp energy that Lake Placid is fecklessly seeking. Read full review

Robert Koehler

To be sure, Kelley's Emmy-winning brand of off-kilter humor and cockeyed affection for rural folk is on display, but his attempt here to blend the citified angst of "Ally McBeal" (co-star Bridget Fonda was Kelley's first choice as that series' lead) with the countrified absurdisms of "Picket Fences," plus bits out of the Peter Benchley playbook, doesn't hold water. Read full review

Owen Gleiberman

Instead of rooting for Pullman and Fonda, we end up praying that the crocodile is hungry enough to put them out of their misery. Read full review

Ella Taylor

By the end of this mercifully short excuse for a horror movie, you'll be wishing the beast had chowed down on the entire ensemble. Read full review

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User Reviews

Reyth

Feb 22, 2021

This film is one of the very few big budget crocodile movies ever made. And if you love crocodile movies, then this certainly is the first one to watch. It's an enjoyable movie. It had a good amount of action and a decent story and some good characters in it. But above all, it was StanThis film is one of the very few big budget crocodile movies ever made. And if you love crocodile movies, then this certainly is the first one to watch. It's an enjoyable movie. It had a good amount of action and a decent story and some good characters in it. But above all, it was Stan Winston's incredible animatronic crocodile that made this film a true popcorn flick!… Expand

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dibs234

Apr 11, 2014

this film is truly fantastic in that it is not and should never be approached as a horror film but as a comedy/jibe to all generic slasher films out there defiantly worth a watch

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MiguelB.

Jun 4, 2007

More fun than horror, with lots of hilarious banter between main characters. Should not be taken seriously, of course, but definitely more enjoyable than most movies in this genre.

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WesleyE.

Mar 15, 2006

It's by no means a good movie... but the actors (if you can call them that) do poke some slight fun ath the subject, and the Big Croc itself kicks ass.

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TejasNair

Nov 7, 2020

It's the humour garnished all over Lake Placid that makes it more than an entertaining watch about crocodile terror. You know it's a spoof but you know there's danger out there too that the characters are going to fall into. Add to that the on-the-point performances and dialogue delivery byIt's the humour garnished all over Lake Placid that makes it more than an entertaining watch about crocodile terror. You know it's a spoof but you know there's danger out there too that the characters are going to fall into. Add to that the on-the-point performances and dialogue delivery by Bridget Fonda, Oliver Platt, and Brendan Gleeson and the overall atmosphere of the film, and you have a terrific film to enjoy with friends and family. This is some great popcorn entertainment. Grade B.… Expand

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ballpark_frank

Nov 27, 2012

I consider this a 'cult classic'. It's not quite "Citizen Kane", but it's excellent TV and popcorn fare. A local law enforcement officer is killed in a quite gruesome manner by some unknown creature (ok - not a spoiler, but: it's a crocodile), so the local sheriff calls in the Fish & GameI consider this a 'cult classic'. It's not quite "Citizen Kane", but it's excellent TV and popcorn fare. A local law enforcement officer is killed in a quite gruesome manner by some unknown creature (ok - not a spoiler, but: it's a crocodile), so the local sheriff calls in the Fish & Game department. Pullman shows up, along with a woman paleontologist, who's run into an office 'triangle' and been deported, so to speak, to check out a tooth found in the victim. Eventually, a well known crocodile expert enters the mix. Along the way, the four make quite a dysfunctional family, with Pullman and Fonda unable to take their platonic relationship to another level, while Platt (playing expert Hector Cyr) and Gleeson (playing the sheriff, Hank) are the two bickering brothers. Finally, to throw another wrench into the works, there's Betty White as Mrs. Bickerman, whose husband is dead (without any records being filed in the local courthouse, and no real explanation immediately coming). Eventually, it's confirmed that there's an enormous crocodile inhabiting the lake. The only question is whether to try and trap it, or destroy it). Pretty light fare, with a few 'shocking' scenes which may be a little bit too intense for very young children. A final note: stick around until the very end and you'll be slightly surprised.… Expand

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mds03

Apr 14, 2013

It was just mediocre. Nothing more and nothing less. What kept it from being good was the comedic overtones and the corny dialogue. But the biggest problem was that there's a giant crocodile in a lake in a movie that's rated R and only 2 people get eaten in the 82 minute runtime!

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