Overview
A quest for immortality leads to dark consequences in a world where age is just a number.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- eerie
- melancholic
- tender
- late night horror viewing
- arthouse horror marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Guillermo del Toro's stylish and original feature debut for combining gory supernatural horror with intelligent mythology, strong acting, and genuine emotional warmth.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Cronos mechanism is the central object sought by Jesus Gris and De la Guardia.
Jesus's relationship with Mercedes and Aurora gives the grotesque transformation a warm, vulnerable counterpoint.
The Inquisition-era alchemist, sacred iconography, and themes of eternal life connect the horror mythology to Catholic references.
The antique shop, family home, and contemporary Mexican setting contrast with the ancient scarab-like device and its impossible powers.
Films like Cronos, and why
The Devil's Backbone
stylized supernatural horror, tragic immortality, and emotionally intimate family drama
Pan's Labyrinth
gothic fantasy, religious imagery, child-centered peril, and dark fairy-tale atmosphere
Near Dark
elegant vampire mythology, moral corruption, and visually inventive body horror
The Addiction
occult objects, obsessive immortality, and atmospheric independent horror
Movie Details
- Director
- Guillermo del Toro
- Release Date
- 1993-11-05
- Runtime
- 94 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (800)
Cast
- Federico Luppi
- Ron Perlman
- Claudio Brook
- Margarita Isabel
- Tamara Shanath
- Mario Iván Martínez
- Daniel Giménez Cacho
- Farnesio de Bernal
- Juan Carlos Colombo
- Jorge Martínez de Hoyos
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- 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 Cronos about?
- An antique dealer’s discovery of an immortality device draws him into a grotesque struggle between rejuvenation, family devotion, and predatory power.
- What is Cronos like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Cronos as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Cronos violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Cronos as graphic.
- What did critics think of Cronos?
- Critics broadly praised Guillermo del Toro's stylish and original feature debut for combining gory supernatural horror with intelligent mythology, strong acting, and genuine emotional warmth.
- Which films are like Cronos?
- Films with a similar feel include The Devil's Backbone, Pan's Labyrinth, Near Dark, and The Addiction.
- How long is Cronos?
- Cronos runs 94 minutes.
- Where can I watch Cronos?
- In United States, Cronos streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
