Lake Placid (1999)

Screen It! is not attempting to rate the movie as good or bad but to give parents the tools to decide whether it's appropriate for their kids.

This movie has been screened for objectional content in 15 areas. Click for a detailed look.

OUR WORD TO PARENTS:
The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated horror/comedy. Profanity is extreme with at least 12 "f" words being used along with other words and colorful phrases. An extreme amount of violence occurs, with several people--and animals--being killed, eaten or maimed by the crocodile (occasionally with very gory results), and by the humans trying to kill the beast. As such, those scenes and many others featuring close calls with the crocodile may be suspenseful--or downright frightening--to some viewers, especially younger kids who may not get the attempts at campy humor.

Beyond that, some brief, sexually related comments are made, some drinking occurs, and the characters exchange some sarcastic remarks between one another. The film's other categories, however, have relatively little or nothing in the way of major objectionable content. Since kids may want to see this film, you might want to more closely examine the listed content to determine whether it's appropriate for them or anyone else in your home.

QUICK TAKE:: Horror/Comedy: After a thirty-foot long, man-eating crocodile is discovered in a remote Maine lake, a team of disparate characters tries to figure out how to deal with the gargantuan reptile.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?: If they're fans of someone in the cast or of monster movies along the lines of "Jaws" or "Anaconda," they probably will.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R: For violent creature attacks and related gore, and for language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:: BRIDGET FONDA plays a nature-phobic paleontologist who must not only deal with the huge crocodile, but also several men she doesn't particularly like. Along the way she uses some strong profanity.; BRENDAN GLEESON plays the local sheriff who witnessed the initial attack, wants the creature dead, and can't stand the sarcastic people who seem to have surrounded him.; BILL PULLMAN plays the more level-headed Game Warden who tries to figure out how to deal with the crocodile. He briefly uses strong profanity.; OLIVER PLATT plays an eccentric mythology professor who idolizes crocodiles and often takes unnecessary risks that nearly get him killed. He also uses strong profanity.; BETTY WHITE plays a local and somewhat crazy lady who feeds the crocodile (with large cattle) and also uses brief, strong profanity.

DETAILED CONTENT LISTING:
Click on a category for specific details or scroll through the page for a broader overview.

ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE: MINOR (Return to Summary Chart): Hector and several police officers have drinks and beer during a party in his tent.
Jack tells Kelly that they should go for a beer.

BLOOD/GORE: EXTREME (Return to Summary Chart): As a man is pulled into a boat, we see that the bottom half of him is missing and thus briefly see the open, gory and bloody wound at his waist. We also see some blood around his mouth.
Later, we see the remains of that victim on a morgue table (obviously still missing the lower part of his body).
We see a moose's severed head that's pulled from the water.
We see a human toe (belonging to the above victim and covered with worms/maggots) and then later see his severed head (from two views and see a small snake crawl from the half-open mouth).
We hear, but don't see Hank peeing in the woods.
We see the remains of a dead moose (or similar creature) underwater.
The crocodile suddenly lunges up and snaps off a man's head, and we briefly see the bloody stump.
We see a slightly bloody cut on Jack's arm.
We see some blood from the crocodile's mouth.
A crocodile explodes in a briefly seen bloody mess after being shot by an explosive-like shell.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE: MODERATE (Return to Summary Chart): We learn that Kelly's boss (and current boyfriend) has had an affair with her coworker and friend.
Kelly has a bit of a chip on her shoulder and comes off as somewhat rude and sarcastic to the others.
Hector makes fun of Hank's rotundness.
Mrs. Bickerman has both for lying about knowing about the crocodile and then for continuing to feed it.

FRIGHTENING SCENES: EXTREME (Return to Summary Chart): The sight of human and animal remains and related gore may be unsettling to some viewers.
A researcher scuba dives in the lake and approaches a beaver dam. During this, some suspenseful music plays and we see the point of view of something watching and closing in on him. Eventually he's nabbed and yanked through the water--both below and on the surface--and when Hank finally pulls him to safety in a boat, the bottom half of him is missing (and has been bitten off).
Kelly and Hector's canoe is suddenly overturned in the lake and they scramble to get out of the water (as we see the point of view of something approaching them from underneath the water).
Hank hears something at night in the woods and slowly walks through the trees to investigate.
Having lowered a speaker that plays a juvenile crocodile distress call that they know will lure the bigger one, Hector and Jack scuba dive in the lake (where we then see them cautiously swimming through the murky waters).
Moments later, something grabs a boat's anchor line and yanks it backwards causing Kelly to fall into the water. Once the boat is let go, Hank and a deputy race to save Kelly who's floating in the water and is exposed to a possible attack.
The crocodile suddenly lunges up and snaps off a man's head, allowing us to briefly see the headless body (with a bloody stump where his head was).
A large bear suddenly menaces the team.
We see footage from a nature show of a real-life crocodile approaching and then grabbing a grazing creature and pulling it into the water.
Hector has a very close encounter with the crocodile as he slowly tries to swim back to his helicopter that's floating on the lake. As he and a deputy then try to take off, the crocodile grabs the floatable landing rung and briefly prevents them from taking off.
An attempt by the team to lure in the crocodile and capture it creates some tense moments and close calls on the shore (both above and below the water).

GUNS/WEAPONS: MODERATE (Return to Summary Chart): Handguns/Rifles/Shotgun/Big gun/Tranquilizer Rifles: Used to ward off, sedate or in attempts to kill the crocodile. See "Violence" for details.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR: MILD (Return to Summary Chart): Phrases: "F*ck off," "Go f*ck yourself," "F*ck sh*t" (what Kelly calls someone on the phone), "Officer f*ck meat" and "If I had a d*ck, this is where I'd tell you to suck it" (what Mrs. Bickerman calls and then tells Hank), Holy sh*t," "Cut the sh*t," "Horny," "Balls" (for "nuts" as in crazy or meaning testicles--the explanation isn't made), "Fruitcakes" and "Nuts" (crazy).
Hector makes fun of Hank telling him that the longer he lives "the more sex you can have with your sister."

JUMP SCENES: MODERATE (Return to Summary Chart): A beaver suddenly jumps past a man.
A man is suddenly yanked down and out of a beaver dam.
A crocodile suddenly bites off a man's head.
A spring-loaded trap suddenly yanks Hank up into the air.
A few more instances of crocodiles suddenly appearing or jumping out at people also occur.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE): EXTREME (Return to Summary Chart): An extreme amount of suspenseful music plays during the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE): NONE (Return to Summary Chart): None.

PROFANITY: EXTREME (Return to Summary Chart): At least 12 "f" words, 10 "s" words, 2 slang terms using male genitals ("d*ck" and "c*cks*cker"), 1 slang term for breasts ("boobs"), 4 hells, 3 asses (2 used with "hole"), 1 damn and 7 uses of "Jesus," 4 of "God," 3 each of "Jesus Christ" and "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "G-damn," "Christ," "Swear to God," "Oh God," "For Christ's sakes" and "For God's sakes."

SEX/NUDITY: MILD (Return to Summary Chart): Kelly asks a female deputy whether the local males get "horny" in the woods as happened in the movie "Deliverance."
Hector suddenly blurts out to Jack about Kelly, "Did she tell you that we had sex together?" She responds, "I never had sex with you." He then admits that he's "horrible in bed" and that they thus never remember.
Hector tells a female deputy "you have such big, wonderful boobs" (and she's not offended by that). When Hank tells her to leave, Hector asks if she can stay since they have to "mate."
Hector makes fun of Hank telling him that the longer he lives "the more sex you can have with your sister."
Hector tells Hank, "You can chew the fat of my big fat log" causing Hector to ask Kelly if that's a homosexual remark.
When Kelly innocently tells Jack "we should go to bed" (in their separate quarters), he briefly misinterprets her statement.
As a female deputy tries to stop Hector from going into the lake, she finally offers, "I'll have sex with you" (but he still goes).

SMOKING: NONE (Return to Summary Chart): None.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES: NONE (Return to Summary Chart): None.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT: MILD (Return to Summary Chart): How a crocodile--especially one that big and reportedly from a foreign country--could have gotten to Maine and then survived there for that long (especially during the brutally cold winter months).
Why people in horror films always do stupid things (the people here continue to stand by the edge of the water, go out in small boats, etc... when they've seen what the crocodile can do).
That crocodiles and alligators aren't in all lakes and that one shouldn't feed them.

VIOLENCE: EXTREME (Return to Summary Chart): A man is grabbed by the crocodile and yanked through the water. When he's finally pulled out, we see that the crocodile has bitten/torn him in half.
Mrs. Bickerman confesses to killing her husband with a skillet (to put him out of his misery of failing health), but we later learn this isn't true.
Kelly twice smacks Hank after she thinks he deliberately tossed a moose's

head near her.
The crocodile suddenly lunges up and snaps off a man's head, and we briefly see the bloody stump.
The crocodile grabs a large bear and pulls it into the water.
After Hector challenges him to do so, Hank punches him in the face, knocking him to the ground.
We see footage from a nature show of a real-life crocodile grabbing an animal drinking at a shoreline and pulling it into the water.
We see the crocodile grab a cow and yank it into the water.
The crocodile grabs a helicopter's floatable landing rung and briefly chews on it, preventing it from taking off, causing a deputy to open fire on the crocodile with her gun.
A helicopter crashes into the lake.
The crocodile attacks a truck and everyone on it shoots the crocodile.
A crocodile suddenly attacks a man and is then blown to bits by a canon-like gun.