Featured Audience Ratings

• Samuel R

  
  A truly gut-wrenching masterpiece. A horror film that features sophistication, superb acting and plenty of violence and gore. This movie proves that Jeff Goldblum is a superb but quite underrated actor. At the same time, proves that David Cronenberg is a true master of body horror.… More
  A truly gut-wrenching masterpiece. A horror film that features sophistication, superb acting and plenty of violence and gore. This movie proves that Jeff Goldblum is a superb but quite underrated actor. At the same time, proves that David Cronenberg is a true master of body horror. 'The Fly' is a very rare remake that is arguably superior to the original.

• Eric S

  
  One of my favorite horror films. It's disgusting but also offers plenty of character development. This is what makes "The Fly" stand out. You care about the people in it, which is a very rare thing to find in the horror genre.

• Spencer S

  
  Gruesome and horribly discomforting, The Fly is a remake that pushes the boundaries of conventional horror film, and makes you squeamish all over, keeping you awake at night. It's not the dramatic effects that get to you, though they are reminiscent of the ones from An American… More
  Gruesome and horribly discomforting, The Fly is a remake that pushes the boundaries of conventional horror film, and makes you squeamish all over, keeping you awake at night. It's not the dramatic effects that get to you, though they are reminiscent of the ones from An American Werewolf in London. No, much more sinister and repulsive is the transformation of a man into a fly, which also goes along with his own inner turmoil and assuredness. The protagonist is a scientist with a lucky streak and an amicable idea that would change the face of science. He's cocky, nearly vain, and finds a familiar soulmate with a journalist who writes down his every word behind his back (Davis). Their love story, though based on a symbiotic mess, is actually important to the plot of the film, as this relationship morphs into a co-dependent monster mash. Maybe co-dependent isn't the right word either, as it's more about obsession, needing someone when it's your eleventh hour, and the horror of science gone wrong. It was effective as a horror film rather than a sci-fi because of the subtext of human involvement. Immediately you put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist, and that is a fearsome position when you're not a direct observer, as if you're trapped in a nightmare. By the very end, the buildup becomes astounding; you're so attuned to the needs of the character that you can feel every hair sprout from his back as if it was on yours. None of this felt dated or a predecessor to Cronenberg's later work. That eerie touch that Cronenberg brings to his films reverberates here, his teasing tone at the character's suspenseful demise evident from the brash dialogue, the almost peppy way he starts evolving into something not quite human. The fact that the character changes his attitude before becoming the woefully named fly really brought out the danger of what was to come. The pacing was great, the acting from both leads was suspenseful, and the directing was pristine if not oddly gleeful. Really, a masterful film.

• Universal D

  
  Cronenberg not so much remakes the Vincent Price cult standard (which its better than) but rather Whale's Frankenstein and its very nearly a solid contender. There's gross out special effects, there's romance, and boy-o-boy there's horror. One of the very best of… More
  Cronenberg not so much remakes the Vincent Price cult standard (which its better than) but rather Whale's Frankenstein and its very nearly a solid contender. There's gross out special effects, there's romance, and boy-o-boy there's horror. One of the very best of the genre with a good performance by Davis but a absolutely brilliant turn by Goldblum as the lonely scientist who makes one tragic mistake.

• Phil H

  
  This scared the hell outta me when I was a kid but god its good. Goldblum is great here and Davis smoulders in a slutty way, the effects are just simple 80's mask and goo effects (by today's standards) but they work superbly well. Cgi? who needs it?? I think this is one… More
  This scared the hell outta me when I was a kid but god its good. Goldblum is great here and Davis smoulders in a slutty way, the effects are just simple 80's mask and goo effects (by today's standards) but they work superbly well. Cgi? who needs it?? I think this is one film that proves you don't need computers to make a film look very realistic and vile in an affective way, I just wish film makers would pay more attention to this. Its a little tacky now in places but it still shocks and its just so much fun, the arm wrestle scene still makes me wince every time hehe. This is Cronenberg's best I reckon, the atmosphere is thick and the tension as 'Brundle' transforms is delicious, turning a very average old B-movie into a sci-fi gore fest of epic proportions. The story really makes you feel for Brundle as well, the end is quite sad as you feel for the man/creature in its last moments.

• Graham J

  
  An imaginative retelling of a horror/love story.

• Jacob E

  
  Remakes usually suck. A lot. Like, they're worse than being kicked in the groin by Iron Man. They're awful. But the 80s had a few exceptions worth noting, especially in the horror genre. "The Thing" is one of these exceptions. "The Fly" is another. This… More
  Remakes usually suck. A lot. Like, they're worse than being kicked in the groin by Iron Man. They're awful. But the 80s had a few exceptions worth noting, especially in the horror genre. "The Thing" is one of these exceptions. "The Fly" is another. This is one of those remakes that trumps the original tenfold. The original is a good 50s horror film with a lot of class and good make-up (for the time needs to be emphasized here). But the remake has a far more interesting idea than a scientist just swapping an arm and a head with a house fly. What if he was genetically fused with the house fly? What results are some of the sickest, nastiest, make-up effect setpieces in film history. The last 10 minutes in particular has an incredible transformation that'll leave even the most seasoned horror film fan blown away. THIS IS NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH. But it is one of the best in the horror genre and one of the best remakes ever. Highly recommended.

• c0up  

  
  David Cronenberg's 'The Fly'. Disgustingly gruesome body horror sci-fi at its best.

• Liam G

  
  Classic sci-fi / horror. Jeff Goldblum gives a phenomenal performance and Cronenberg combines this tragic romance with gruesome gore in a very entertaining way.

• Taylor R

  
  A powerful metaphor with some powerful visuals. Cronenberg has a message about disease, and the visceral transformations will invade your body and make you feel that message in your stomach. Brillliantly acted (who knew Jeff Goldblum had it in him?) and deftly directed. There are a… More
  A powerful metaphor with some powerful visuals. Cronenberg has a message about disease, and the visceral transformations will invade your body and make you feel that message in your stomach. Brillliantly acted (who knew Jeff Goldblum had it in him?) and deftly directed. There are a couple of eye-rolling lines of dialogue and delivery from Stathis Borans, but overall the script rocks solid. Be advised - this movie is DISGUSTING, almost to the point of drowning out its message; not for everyone. The birth scene was the worst for me.

• familiar s

  
  A spectacular tale about what happens when a scientist (who yearns for the Nobel Prize and has a strong urge to do "something that will change the world and human life as we know it") proceeds with his extraordinary project with confidence and pride, but it goes unimaginably… More
  A spectacular tale about what happens when a scientist (who yearns for the Nobel Prize and has a strong urge to do "something that will change the world and human life as we know it") proceeds with his extraordinary project with confidence and pride, but it goes unimaginably awry.

• Jeff "

  
  David Cronenberg's The Fly is one of the best Horror films of the 1980's. Cronenberg has always made films that have to do with bodily horror, and in The Fly we have one of the best examples of his work. Cronenberg has made many terrific films dealing in the body Horror… More
  David Cronenberg's The Fly is one of the best Horror films of the 1980's. Cronenberg has always made films that have to do with bodily horror, and in The Fly we have one of the best examples of his work. Cronenberg has made many terrific films dealing in the body Horror genre, one of favorites is Videodrome, but I have got to give him props for this incredible remake. His version of The Fly is incredibly raw, and unflinching. The Fly is truly a masterwork in the Horror genre. Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis give terrific performances. The film is well paced and steadily builds up to the horrifying moments that Jeff Goldblum's character becomes a fly after his teleportation experiment goes wrong. The Fly remake is a marvel of body Horror, it's one of those films that genuinely scares you, I was scared shitless watching this. The thing that I admire the most about director David Cronenberg is the fact that he has a talent, and eye of what makes you tick, he knows how to scare you in horrific ways by portraying situations on screen that are shocking and terrifying. The Fly is his best since Videodrome and he pulls out every trick that he's got to create one of the best horror remakes ever made. The Fly is a definite work of genius and not since the 1958 film has The Fly been more terrifying than ever before. Simply put, The Fly is a sick, twisted, perverted masterpiece of Cronenberg fair. And I mean that with the greatest compliment. The Fly is one of the best films of it's kind and remains one of Cronenbergs very best films.

• Matt G

  
  A simple premise: An eccentric scientist slowly transforms into a human fly after an experiment goes wrong. It's so entertaining and you keep trying to look away but you can't. Grade: B+

• AJ V

  
  Although this is a remake of the classic 50s movie with Vincent Price, Cronenberg takes it in a whole new direction, and makes it his own. I loved it.

• Drew S

  
  Gruesome, economical, almost operatic in its tragic simplicity. Cronenberg at the height of his powers. The one thing that just doesn't sit with me is Geena Davis's character. While I think the figure she creates is thoughtful and intelligent, I just can't imagine what… More
  Gruesome, economical, almost operatic in its tragic simplicity. Cronenberg at the height of his powers. The one thing that just doesn't sit with me is Geena Davis's character. While I think the figure she creates is thoughtful and intelligent, I just can't imagine what would compel her to fall so irrevocably in love with Seth Brundle. It's a huge failing on the script's part, something that I don't think any actress could have illuminated any more convincingly. Unfortunately, that point's also the linchpin around which The Fly operates, and it's a good thing that the tale is so outlandish, because within the parameters of this 20th century science fable the irrational love is easier to swallow. This botched plot point is not completely destructive, but it could have been. And dude, check the makeup. Fucking unbelievable. No CGI could ever hope to mimic that.

• Jim H

  
  It surprises me how many science fiction films are anti-science. <i>Flatliners</i> and <i>Jurassic Park</i> immediately come to mind as other examples. In each film, we have a scientist who tries to defy the constraints of current technology or, worse, defy… More
  It surprises me how many science fiction films are anti-science. <i>Flatliners</i> and <i>Jurassic Park</i> immediately come to mind as other examples. In each film, we have a scientist who tries to defy the constraints of current technology or, worse, defy the "laws" of nature, and he pays dearly for his attempt to expand human knowledge. In addition to the generic "don't fuck with nature" theme that pervades this film, it rapidly degrades into and old-fashioned gore-fest. Most of the gore isn't overly gratuitous, but I did wonder about the necessity of some of the violence in Brundle-fly's climactic fight. And during this fight, Davis's character is reduced to the screaming, simpering girl-child that is so often a staple of horror movies. It is strange that I'm disliking a lot of Cronenberg's earlier work. I guess we expect artists to get better with time, but it seems that there is a dramatic change in theme from <i>Scanners</i> and <i>The Fly</i> to <i>Existenz</i> and <i>Crash</i>. Overall, this film is gross and doesn't offer much to the critical viewer.

• Alexis N

  
  Beyond sad and disgusting.

• Dan S

  
  One of, if not Cronenberg's best films concerning a mad scientist whose experiment goes horribly wrong, as he begins to morph into a fly. What sounds completely cheesy is actually handled with meticulous care from Cronenberg, a master of bodily horror, who is able to make us care… More
  One of, if not Cronenberg's best films concerning a mad scientist whose experiment goes horribly wrong, as he begins to morph into a fly. What sounds completely cheesy is actually handled with meticulous care from Cronenberg, a master of bodily horror, who is able to make us care about his lead character, that being Jeff Goldblum's eccentric, always interesting figure. The ending is surprisingly heart-rendering, I'll admit it caught me off guard. Be warned though, it's a nasty film, completely disgusting, but never for a second boring. The combination of Cronenberg's firm direction paired up with Goldblum's sympathetic, brilliant turn is what makes this film so special. Definitely a bona fide horror flick that any fan of the genre should view at least once.

• Conner R

  
  Just a different class of science fiction that is rarely seen, it truly manages to explore the possibilities of plausible science. Even if you can't geek out over it, who can't enjoy Jeff Goldblum going insane and eating candy bars? The story is just a really well done… More
  Just a different class of science fiction that is rarely seen, it truly manages to explore the possibilities of plausible science. Even if you can't geek out over it, who can't enjoy Jeff Goldblum going insane and eating candy bars? The story is just a really well done monster movie, updating a b-horror movie (much like The Thing). It is about as close to flawless as they get. Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis are a perfect match and have some of the best onscreen chemistry. The love story is very real and compelling. The effects are still amazing to this day because they relied on the best possible techniques and stayed clear of cop outs or digital assistance. The tragedy of the fly who dreamed he was a man is one of the most compelling. You witness the complete downfall of a human both physically and mentally. Cronenberg's directing is amazing, giving you a truly haunting mood and very isolated feel from normality.

• danny d

  
  the film excels in shock value, and its always nice to see davis on screen, but this film felt far more shallow and formulaic to me than to most. the film contains no real hero, very little consequence, and despite some disturbing images there is very little reason to explore the… More
  the film excels in shock value, and its always nice to see davis on screen, but this film felt far more shallow and formulaic to me than to most. the film contains no real hero, very little consequence, and despite some disturbing images there is very little reason to explore the film past the surface. extremely entertaining, but nothing more.

Read all 20 featured audience ratings