The Fly II
A genetically altered young man races to escape the corporation exploiting his inherited fly mutation before his body completes its grotesque transformation.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- macabre
- visceral
- foreboding
- late night horror marathon
- body horror double feature
What critics said
Critics broadly found the sequel less tightly scripted and less effectively directed than its predecessor, despite its pace, tension, and elaborate gross-out effects.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Martin's dormant insect genes awaken after Bartok exploits him as a research subject, driving his transformation into MartinFly.
The film's final act is defined by claret-stained, glop-oozing practical effects and repulsive bodily mutation.
Bartok adopts Martin to solve TelePod problems and use his dormant insect genes as a science project.
Martin inherits the fly genes and the consequences of Seth Brundle's transformation, despite being only five years old when the plot begins.
Films like The Fly II, and why
The Fly
Shared body horror, scientific mutation, grotesque practical effects, and tragic transformation arc.
The Blob
Shared mad science, monstrous experimentation, escalating mutation, and graphic practical-effects horror.
The Thing
Shared laboratory horror, biological transformation, creature-feature suspense, and bleak scientific paranoia.
Scanners
Shared science fiction premise, industrial experimentation, body horror, and a vulnerable protagonist pursued by an institution.
Movie Details
- Director
- Chris Walas
- Release Date
- 1989-02-10
- Runtime
- 105 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (757)
Cast
- Eric Stoltz
- Daphne Zuniga
- Lee Richardson
- John Getz
- Frank C. Turner
- Ann Marie Lee
- Garry Chalk
- Saffron Henderson
- Harley Cross
- Matthew Moore
Common questions
- What is The Fly II about?
- A genetically altered young man races to escape the corporation exploiting his inherited fly mutation before his body completes its grotesque transformation.
- What is The Fly II like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Fly II as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Fly II violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Fly II as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Fly II?
- Critics broadly found the sequel less tightly scripted and less effectively directed than its predecessor, despite its pace, tension, and elaborate gross-out effects.
- Which films are like The Fly II?
- Films with a similar feel include The Fly, The Blob, The Thing, and Scanners.
- How long is The Fly II?
- The Fly II runs 105 minutes.
