Andrew Taft, Badgett Dale, Balthazar Getty

Harry Hook's adaptation is not as faithful to the William Golding novel as you'd wish (they excised the Lord of the Flies dialogue with Simon!) and because of it, the movie is less allegorical ...( read more  read more... )and less resonant. A group of young men from a military academy are stranded on an island. The group quickly becomes fractious with a passive section led by Ralph, trying to get rescued, and a hunter faction, led by Jack, trying to procure meat and "have fun." Peter Brook's 1963 filming seemed to get closer to the Darwinist sense of this cultural disintegration. Here, the hunter faction seems more like Peter Pan's Lost Boys than the bloodthirsty murderers they are. The performances, particularly young Getty, don't quite carry the weight of the situation. It's still, however, sobering to slowly watch the school uniforms traded for war paint, and the little boys turn into little savages. --Keith Simanton

Flixster Users

54% liked it

49,084 ratings

Critics

61% liked it

18 critics

R, 90 min.

Directed by: Harry Hook

Release Date: March 16, 1990

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DVD Release Date: November 20, 2001

Stats: 2,090 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,090)


  • July 16, 2009
    the original is alot better but there were a few changes i liked better.
  • August 3, 2008
    Nothing special to be seen here. An okay adaption of the novel, I suppose, if a little liberal. A decent way to waste time, but nothing more.
  • April 29, 2008
    brilliant, what more needs to be said, still holds up to this day
  • October 18, 2007
    The book makes this movie shame. Shame on the bottom of shoes.
  • October 10, 2007
    Piggy died oh no.
  • November 3, 2009
    I actually enjoyed this movie a lot more than I'd expected.
    Despite the fact that it was all filmed on the exact same place and that not much happened I still found it really engaging and exciting.
    It keeps you hooked to the screen and it's impossible to look away from it!
  • October 31, 2009
    !Comercial or Stupid! :|
  • October 14, 2009
    Hard to wach

    Recuerdo que la escena de la piedra me traumo senti que habia presenciado un asesinato en carne propia
  • August 16, 2009
    I have never watched the film but im rating it purely on having studied the novel itself. Golding touhes upon many key issues and uses numerous symbolic references throughout e.g. the conch, the pigs head. The novel as many themses and issues of authority and civilisation running...( read more) through it.... and is a great read (watch).
  • August 15, 2009
    Bleh, just bleh. I loved reading the book in high school and wouldn't mind owning that one day, but this movie I never plan to own.

Critic Reviews


January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

The symbolism is right up front and unmissable, and the story part -- the events that in theory should cause our throats to tighten and our pulses to quicken -- is pretty lame. full review

View more Lord of the Flies reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • snymanronelle
    September 23, 2008
    U should read the book to understand the movie but I do agree if they could get an other director to remake the movie the it maybe it will be better..
  • aman57bc
    September 5, 2008
    The cover shows the actors from the 1963 movie and the 1990 movie is not as good as the original.
  • JohnnyDeppette
    October 30, 2007
    The book was amazingly good!!!
    The movie is SLOW!

    I still believe if the right Director would remake this movie then it would be ever bit as good as the book!

    A sleeper film > If you read the plot written by Keith Simanton then you'll undertstand why the movie was not that grand.

    READ THE BOOK until someone can make this film right!
  • peaceXloveXhappiness
    September 26, 2007
    im currently reading the book and now i wanna c the movie...my dad is gonna rent it
  • XxXiluvdjdangerXxX
    September 15, 2007
    i had to read this book for english and i was sure that i was gunna hate it but i actually really liked it! it's one of my favorites now!! the movie is ok but the book is way better (as with all movies) lol!!
  • gobritan
    February 16, 2007
    this book is boring but i dont no about the movie
  • EmuKid
    February 6, 2007
    Didn't like lord of the flies much, like the book, just dont like the film.
  • asiantribe
    December 11, 2006
    Poor Piggy... T_T

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Lord of the Flies Trivia


  • In the movie 'Lord Of The Flies', what was the thing they agreed to have to hold in order to speak?  Answer »
  • How did Piggy die in the movie 'Lord of The Flies'?  Answer »
  • Add together the missing words to make a film title. ____ of the Flies Shaun __ the Dead Pirates of ___ Caribbean The Postman Always _____ Twice The ______ of Jafar Shaun __ the Dead Pirates of ___ Caribbean ____ Arthur  Answer »
  • who wrote the book lord of the flies  Answer »

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