Lake Placid
A bickering team of experts and locals hunts a gigantic crocodile lurking beneath a Maine lake in a sardonic creature-feature thriller.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Moderate
- sardonic
- irreverent
- tense
- late night horror marathon
- creature feature double bill
What critics said
Critics generally found the film's Betty White performance and occasional creature-feature charm outweighed by a smarmy script and insufficient monster mayhem.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The giant crocodile, lake attacks, eccentric investigators, and comic tonal framing place the film firmly in creature-feature camp.
Fish and Game officer Jack Wells, paleontologist Kelly Scott, Sheriff Hank Keough, and other competing searchers bring distinct regional and professional perspectives.
The silent waters of Maine's Black Lake conceal the crocodile and structure the investigation, attacks, diving, and pursuit.
The eccentric ensemble and tongue-in-cheek dialogue coexist with mangled remains and lethal animal attacks.
Films like Lake Placid, and why
Jaws
Shared giant-animal horror, remote wilderness setting, survival tension, and creature-feature spectacle.
Anaconda
Shared horror comedy tone, irreverent character banter, and an escalating battle against a dangerous animal.
Eight Legged Freaks
Shared oversized predator premise, action-horror thrills, and campy genre entertainment.
Movie Details
- Director
- Steve Miner
- Release Date
- 1999-07-15
- Runtime
- 82 min
- Rating
- 6.0 / 10 (1310)
Cast
- Bill Pullman
- Bridget Fonda
- Oliver Platt
- Brendan Gleeson
- Betty White
- David James Lewis
- Tim Dixon
- Natassia Malthe
- Mariska Hargitay
- Meredith Salenger
Where to watch in United States
- 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 Lake Placid about?
- A bickering team of experts and locals hunts a gigantic crocodile lurking beneath a Maine lake in a sardonic creature-feature thriller.
- What is Lake Placid like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Lake Placid as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Lake Placid violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Lake Placid as moderate.
- What did critics think of Lake Placid?
- Critics generally found the film's Betty White performance and occasional creature-feature charm outweighed by a smarmy script and insufficient monster mayhem.
- Which films are like Lake Placid?
- Films with a similar feel include Jaws, Anaconda, and Eight Legged Freaks.
- How long is Lake Placid?
- Lake Placid runs 82 minutes.
- Where can I watch Lake Placid?
- In United States, Lake Placid is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
