Alligator
A sewer-raised alligator mutated by laboratory waste turns Chicago into a darkly comic hunting ground.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- witty
- irreverent
- suspenseful
- late night horror marathon
- cult movie night
What critics said
Critics generally found the film an effective and witty creature feature whose genuine suspense, practical effects, and self-aware B-movie humor outweigh its modest production values.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Ramon's growth results from eating laboratory animals altered by dubious hormone experiments, linking the creature threat to toxic scientific practices.
The alligator escapes Chicago's sewers and begins preying on city residents and public spaces.
The script and direction balance genuine scares and violence with wit and an openly self-aware exploitation sensibility.
Chemical growth experiments turn a flushed pet alligator into a gargantuan predator.
Films like Alligator, and why
Jaws
urban monster horror, ecological anxiety, and suspense balanced with wit
Piranha
satirical creature-feature horror with practical effects and escalating public danger
The Toxic Avenger
campy science fiction horror, mutation, and dark social satire
Lake Placid
giant-animal menace, exploitation sensibility, and knowingly heightened thrills
Movie Details
- Director
- Lewis Teague
- Release Date
- 1980-11-14
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (402)
Cast
- Robert Forster
- Robin Riker
- Michael V. Gazzo
- Dean Jagger
- Sydney Lassick
- Jack Carter
- Perry Lang
- Henry Silva
- Bart Braverman
- John Lisbon Wood
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Philo, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Alligator about?
- A sewer-raised alligator mutated by laboratory waste turns Chicago into a darkly comic hunting ground.
- What is Alligator like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Alligator as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Alligator violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Alligator as graphic.
- What did critics think of Alligator?
- Critics generally found the film an effective and witty creature feature whose genuine suspense, practical effects, and self-aware B-movie humor outweigh its modest production values.
- Which films are like Alligator?
- Films with a similar feel include Jaws, Piranha, The Toxic Avenger, and Lake Placid.
- How long is Alligator?
- Alligator runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Alligator?
- In United States, Alligator streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Peacock Premium, Philo, Shudder, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Peacock Premium Plus, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
