By Brian Costello , based on child development research. How do we rate?
Classic '80s horror has some violence, gory moments.
Parents need to know that The Fly is a 1986 classic horror remake in which Jeff Goldblum plays a scientist who transforms into a fly. Like other horror movies directed by David Cronenberg, this movie has plenty of horror and nightmare imagery. As Goldlbum's character becomes more and more fly-like, he becomes…
Horror-movie violence. As the lead character turns into a fly, he vomits on a ma
Sex, Romance & NudityThe two lead characters have sex, no nudity. Lead female character shown greetin
Occasional profanity, including "f--k." Also "s--t," "c--k," "bulls--t," "chicke
Drinking, Drugs & SmokingSome cigarette smoking. Alcohol drinking. Lead character shown getting drunk. Le
Products & Purchases Not presentNo real positive messages.
Positive Role ModelsNo real role models.
Horror-movie violence. As the lead character turns into a fly, he vomits on a man's hand, causing the man's hand to burn and melt off. As the scientist discovers his fly-like strength, he arm-wrestles a man in a dive bar; in graphic detail, the man's arm is broken. A baboon is killed during a science experiment, its remains slimy and smoking. As the scientist becomes more like a fly, he rips his human ear off, pulls his teeth out, and is made to look horrific and slimy. During a nightmare sequence, the lead female character dreams that she's giving birth to a giant fly. Rifle shots. Sexual harassment.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
The two lead characters have sex, no nudity. Lead female character shown greeting lead male character with her legs spread, no nudity. Very brief nudity, woman's breast.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Occasional profanity, including "f--k." Also "s--t," "c--k," "bulls--t," "chickens--t," "a--hole," "damn."
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Some cigarette smoking. Alcohol drinking. Lead character shown getting drunk. Lead character goes into a dive bar and arm-wrestles a man drinking beer.
Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide. Get started Close
Parents need to know that The Fly is a 1986 classic horror remake in which Jeff Goldblum plays a scientist who transforms into a fly. Like other horror movies directed by David Cronenberg, this movie has plenty of horror and nightmare imagery. As Goldlbum's character becomes more and more fly-like, he becomes increasingly grotesque, both physically and in his behavior. He rips an ear off and rips his teeth out, for instance, and that's just the beginning. As he realizes he has the strength of a fly, he goes to a dive bar and arm-wrestles one of the men in the bar, breaking his arm so the bone rips out of the skin. He later vomits on a hand, causing the man to lose his hand in graphic burning and melting. A baboon is killed during a science experiment -- literally turned inside-out with only smoldering muscle tissue left. There's some profanity, including "f--k," plus cigarette smoking and some drinking. There are also some scenes between the lead female character and her boss/ex-boyfriend that constitute sexual harassment. Lead characters have sex, with very brief nudity (female breast) in the aftermath; the lead female character is also shown greeting the lead male character with her legs spread open. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
The Fly
Official trailer
Based on 5 parent reviews
April 16, 2019Naked Lunch was the only Cronenberg I've watched before seeing this, and although I can't say that I liked it even a tiny bit; I admired the flashes of creativity I've seen throughout its 115-min run-time of an achingly phlegmatic pacing and self-indulgence. Therefore, I was optimistic that this renowned indie director's bizarre style could work for me someday. This day may has come, or maybe it's just this movie. Either way, all I can say is that I was definitely right! First off, Chris Walas's standout, Oscar-winning makeup effects are just superbly sick! The last transformation is case in point, and I really haven't seen anything more impressive than those effects, aside from the equally brilliant practical effects that were used in Carpenter's The Thing. What's even more awe-inspiring is how well-developed every single character in this movie is. They are constantly developing throughout the film's three acts. And each act adds more layers into them in a most graceful and reasonable way. I want to confess that I have never considered Jeff Goldblum as an excellent actor. I always see him as one of the most charismatic actors, who play the same character in every film he's in, and I'm totally fine with that. That's because his quirky distinctive style of acting almost always pays off terrifically, so much so that his character steals the show every time. That said, the different phases his character go through in this movie prove that Goldblum's appeal isn't the only thing he has. For my surprise, Jeff Goldblum turned out to be a really talented actor who can flesh-out his character, figuratively and literally, masterfully. Geena Davis is quite good as Veronica Quaife, whose character arc and the development of her romantic affair with the protagonist near the end reminded me of Belle in Beauty and the Beast a little bit. I think Stathis Borans is an insufferably cartoonish character during the first act. John Getz is not blame at all, as I think he really did a good job. Fortunately, Stathis is also a pretty strongly-developed character that changed a great deal at the third act, and hence became more credible. I was overwhelmed by different feelings of pity, fear, disgust, and so many others, in the course of the movie's 96-min run-time. However, I think the denouement lacks intensity, since I found the ending predictable, and I saw it coming a bit early. Other than the issues I've mentioned above, this movie really impressed me with all its creativity and originality. Cronenberg is truly a visionary filmmaker, and I hope I enjoy the rest of his filmography. (8.5/10)
