The Fly (1986)
12-month trend
12-month trend
Monthly article views
2025-09 to 2026-08
An eccentric scientist's experimental teleportation device malfunctions, leading to a grotesque physical transformation.
The story
Seth Brundle, a brilliant but eccentric scientist, develops a set of 'telepods' capable of instantaneous teleportation. He introduces the invention to a science journalist, Veronica "Ronnie" Quaife, and they begin a romantic relationship while she documents his work. However, the technology is volatile, and a critical error occurs during a routine experiment. When Seth decides to use the device on himself, he is unaware that a fly has entered the pod with him. The resulting fusion begins a horrifying physical transformation, forcing both Seth and Ronnie to confront the consequences of his scientific ambition as his body begins to change into a hybrid of human and insect.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
After a fly enters his teleportation pod, Seth Brundle's body begins to fuse with the insect at a molecular-genetic level. As he transforms into a 'Brundlefly,' he loses his humanity, gaining insect-like traits such as the ability to cling to walls and secrete digestive enzymes. Ronnie, who is pregnant with Seth's child, fears the baby will also be a hybrid. After a failed attempt to save the child's humanity, Seth attempts to fuse himself and Ronnie into one entity using the telepods. During the struggle, Ronnie accidentally rips off his jaw, triggering his final transformation into a monstrous creature. The process is interrupted by a journalist, Stathis Borans, who is incapacitated by Seth's corrosive vomit. In the final moments, a malfunctioning telepod traps Seth, and Ronnie is forced to mercy-kill him with a shotgun.
- First release year
- 1986
- Runtime (minutes)
- 96
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- David Cronenberg
- Writers
- Charles Edward Pogue · screenplay; David Cronenberg · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Jeff Goldblum · Seth Brundle; Geena Davis · Veronica "Ronnie" Quaife; John Getz · Stathis Borans
- Genres
- science fiction; body horror
- Themes
- metamorphosis; the aging process; consequences of scientific ambition
- Premise and plot tags
- body horror; science fiction; mutation; teleportation
- Source material / true-story basis
- George Langelaan's 1957 short story and the 1958 film of the same name
- Franchise connections
- The Fly
- Reception
- The film received universal acclaim and was considered a commercial success, praised for its blend of horror and tragedy.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 81 · scale: 100 · review count: 12; Rotten Tomatoes · score: 82% · scale: 100% · review count: 168
- Awards and nominations
- Academy Award · Best Makeup · win
- Production trivia
- The tagline 'Be afraid. Be very afraid.' became a staple of popular culture.; The design of the telepods was inspired by the director's motorcycle.; The film's makeup was designed to be a metaphor for the aging process.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
Your lists
Loading your lists…