Parasyte: Part 1
A Japanese teenager and the alien parasite inhabiting his right hand form an uneasy partnership amid a grotesque invasion disguised as a wave of murders.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- disturbing
- darkly comic
- tense
- late night horror viewing
- manga adaptation marathon
What critics said
Critics generally found the adaptation entertaining and inventive for its blend of black comedy, serious science fiction, body horror, and creature effects, while noting that its setup can feel incomplete before the sequel.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Shinichi's right hand is replaced by the parasite Migi while other infected humans undergo violent bodily transformations.
The symbiotic relationship between Shinichi and Migi continually challenges fixed distinctions between human and parasite.
Shinichi's school life and interactions with Migi are framed with black comedy amid murders and alien infection.
The parasites reveal deformable bodies and lethal appendages in monster set pieces rooted in transformation effects.
Films like Parasyte: Part 1, and why
The Faculty
shared body horror, alien invasion, and darkly comic science fiction
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
shared Japanese science fiction horror, shape-shifting organisms, and human identity themes
The Fly
shared Cronenbergian body horror, grotesque transformations, and uneasy human biology
Ajin: Demi-Human
shared manga-inspired Japanese action, adolescent protagonists, and escalating supernatural threat
Movie Details
- Director
- Takashi Yamazaki
- Release Date
- 2014-11-29
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 7.0 / 10 (323)
Cast
- Shota Sometani
- Sadao Abe
- Eri Fukatsu
- Ai Hashimoto
- Kazuki Kitamura
- Masahiro Higashide
- Tadanobu Asano
- Miko Yoki
- Jun Kunimura
- Hirofumi Arai
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Parasyte: Part 1 about?
- A Japanese teenager and the alien parasite inhabiting his right hand form an uneasy partnership amid a grotesque invasion disguised as a wave of murders.
- What is Parasyte: Part 1 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Parasyte: Part 1 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Parasyte: Part 1 violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Parasyte: Part 1 as graphic.
- What did critics think of Parasyte: Part 1?
- Critics generally found the adaptation entertaining and inventive for its blend of black comedy, serious science fiction, body horror, and creature effects, while noting that its setup can feel incomplete before the sequel.
- Which films are like Parasyte: Part 1?
- Films with a similar feel include The Faculty, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Fly, and Ajin: Demi-Human.
- How long is Parasyte: Part 1?
- Parasyte: Part 1 runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch Parasyte: Part 1?
- In United States, Parasyte: Part 1 is available to rent or buy from Fandango At Home.
