Crocodile

A couple of months ago, I was pre-ordering a bunch of dvds when I came across this upcoming release of a film entitled CROCODILE---I didn't know much, if anything about it, but then I found out it was directed by TOBE HOOPER and thinking to myself "This is the man responsible for one of the greatest horror flicks of all time--THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE--it can't be that bad", so I ordered it. Well, I just got it the other day, popped it in and----ENJOYED THE HELL OUT OF IT! Tobe Hooper still has what it takes to get jolt out of people. I admit, the story has pretty much been done to death, but I really think that Tobe has put his own little twist on it and breathed new, um, "life" into it. The actor's done really well for being complete unknowns--in fact, I really hated a couple of the characters, and kept rooting for the Croc to eat them! This movie actually made me jump 4 times! Which is great for me---after so many years of watching fright flick after fright flick--I've become somewhat immune to the parts that make other people jump--so it felt damn good! For that Tobe, THANK YOU! I know, the first thing people will think when they see this title on the shelf---another LAKE PLACID (which was another great film in it's own way)--but even though it has it's similarities--it's a completely different film, so bare that in mind--and go out and rent (or buy!) this movie---you're definitely in for a campy little treat.

Well, it's crap, but it's entertaining crap. A lot of people judge this movie very harshly because it was directed by Tobe Hooper and I can't blame them. This isn't a good movie. It's silly, it panders to the teen crowd with awful dialogue and stupid jokes. The crocodile is laughable. Bad CGI. But there a few moments I do enjoy, some nice cinematography and overhead scenes of the lake and forest. And if you're a fan of the campy teen scare scene you'll probably enjoy the beginning at least a bit. Overall I'd say it's very middle of the road.

A group of college students unknowingly enrage a large female Nile crocodile that goes to a killing spree.

Hot off the heels of Lake Placid, unfortunately, Tobe Hooper's offering shares more with SyFy Channel or a DTV film than it does with his directing highlights, which is a crying shame. Elliot Rockett's cinematography of the bright locations steals it of some much needed atmosphere and the abundance of dodgy CGI effects ruins the croc of what would have been quite a good story, so much so Jurassic Park 3 would later borrow from it.

Hooper's talent is sadly kept behind the camera and doesn't really appear on screen. Caitlin Martin does a good turn as Claire, but most of the cast struggle with the paint by numbers script delivering a handful of over the top performances.

It's unexplainably not a great giant crocodile given the talent involved. Surprisingly Crocodile 2: Death Swamp is much more fun.

Hmmm. This movie is kind of a double-edged sword. It's like this, I saw the box and grabbed it up because I wanted something to make fun of. Much like I did with Alligator (which turned out being really good). But here, Tobe Hooper was directing, so I figured it may be worth a shot. Back to what I was saying earlier. There is a lot to be made fun of in this movie, if you're not used to this sort of thing. Those weird people (like myself) who spend much of their free time bashing other people's work will be right at home here. Whether it be some of the characters' ill-executed dialouge or the even iller-executed Croc effects, which sometimes work and sometimes don't. Or it could just be the fact that this is the dumbest bunch of college-agers ever put on film (with the exception of Urban Legend: Final Cut).

Let me say what I like about this movie before I go any further and tell you what passes for the plot. A bunch of beer-swilling college kids (they look like their around that age, but I don't think any of them are smart enough to get in college. No, I'm not being funny) are on a Spring Break and have rented a house boat for what promises to be a fun trip on the lake. They've got all the goods. Beer, beer, and more beer. There's every characters cliche that you would come to expect, featuring the smartass, the whiner who's having trouble with his girlfriend, the loudmouth, the one who's just a little bit louder than the rest, the prude, the slut (I liked her), you get the idea. Everyone has seen this all before...Anyway, one of the girls happens to be unknowingly carrying a crocodile egg in her bag that the prankster put in there as a joke...I don't get it. But, that's the set-up for the whole damn movie. Understandably, the croc is none too happy about her egg being stolen and she's going to try everything in her power to get it back. and maybe have a little fun along the way. You can figure out the rest. The ultimate beer-bash on water, turns into a fight for survival.

Now, even though I've seen this done a thousand times, I still enjoyed Crocodile and rarely got bored. Their were a couple of moments that spent too much time meandering, but the characters are fun to be around and even the Crocodile has a certain charm. Like many other horror flicks out right now, this one has the punk/pop soundtrack and it just makes the whole thing that much more fun. Even though it's predictable, Crocodile is still worth a rental. I would've expected more from the guy who brought us the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, though. Anyhow, give it a run. It's great for some laughs.

This movie is slightly flawed. But Tobe Hooper can direct. I loved this movie. It was better then lake placid. Mr. hooper puts in some good scares. It will make you think twice before leaning over a dock. The film is just a joyride. It's a good old fashioned monster movie. Much better then Anaconda