Lake Placid (1999)
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A dysfunctional group of professionals must confront a massive crocodile terrorizing a remote lake in Maine.
The story
In Aroostook County, Maine, a Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife officer is attacked and bitten in half by an unknown creature in Black Lake. A team consisting of a Fish and Wildlife officer, a paleontologist, and a sheriff begin to investigate the incident. They are joined by a wealthy mythology professor and crocodile enthusiast who suspects the culprit is a freshwater crocodile. As the group explores the lake, they encounter evidence of a predator and realize the danger is real, leading them to develop a plan to capture or eliminate the beast before it can strike again.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a local officer is mauled by a mysterious creature in Black Lake, Maine, a team including a paleontologist, a sheriff, and a crocodile enthusiast investigate. They discover a local woman who has been feeding a crocodile for years after it killed her husband. The team attempts to trap the beast using a helicopter and a cow as bait. During the operation, the crocodile emerges, and a struggle ensues. After a series of attempts to tranquilize the beast, a second crocodile appears, which is destroyed by a grenade launcher. The film ends with a revelation that the original crocodile was part of a mating pair, and one remaining crocodile is seen being transported away. A week later, it is revealed that the woman is still feeding many baby crocodiles.
- First release year
- 1999
- Runtime (minutes)
- 82
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Steve Miner
- Writers
- David E. Kelley · writer
- Cast and characters
- Bill Pullman · Jack Wells; Bridget Fonda · Kelly Scott; Brendan Gleeson · Sheriff Hank Keough; Oliver Platt · Hector Cyr; Betty White · Mrs. Delores Bickerman; Mariska Hargitay · Myra Okubo
- Genres
- comedy horror
- Themes
- Man vs. Nature
- Tone and mood
- horror; comedy
- Premise and plot tags
- creature feature; monster movie
- Franchise connections
- Lake Placid
- Reception
- The film received generally negative reviews from critics, though some noted Betty White's performance as a highlight. It was described as 'swamped by a smarmy script' and 'wrong-headed' by some, while others viewed it as a 'straightforward camping-holiday nightmare' or a 'sly, ironic take'.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 47% · review count: 95; Metacritic · score: 34 · scale: 100 · review count: 25; CinemaScore · score: C · scale: A+ to F
- Production trivia
- The long crocodile was created by Stan Winston Studios.; The crocodile vocalizations were recorded from alligators in Orlando, Florida.; The film was followed by five low-budget made-for-television sequels.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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