Being from Central New York, 1999’s “Lake Placid†is a bit of a misnomer. It’s also a horror film that bends the genre rules. It’s horror, it’s comedy, and it’s an adventure film. I wouldn’t label it dark comedy; I’m not sure it fits the criteria or that term even existed yet. It’s full of sarcastic slickness, featuring a bevy of actors from the period that are always crowd-pleasers. It’s about a 30-foot crocodile that has been feeding in a placid lake in Maine (they wanted to name it Lake Placid but “heard it was takenâ€) and a group of DEC types, a local sheriff, an adventurer, and a paleontologist who try to crack the case. And it’s mostly hysterical from start to finish.Â
“Lake Placid†was made for a simpler time. There are a few deaths (and to be honest, they are on the gruesome side) but it’s filmed with such camp that it’s hard to notice. It’s labelled as “b-horror†and “action†along with “comedy,†and all three apply. It’s littered with popular actors. Bill Pullman, Oliver Platt, Bridget Fonda, and Betty White all co-stary. Guest appearances at the opening by Mariska Hargitay and Adam Arkin lighten the load. But the fan favorite for me was Brendan Gleeson. Gleeson—who’s had a plentiful career and was nominated for an Oscar for “The Banshees of Inisherinâ€â€”is content to play a local cop worn out by all the sarcasm of the DEC, Platt’s Hector Cyr, and the immature antics of Fonda’s Kelly Scott. Against a legion of comedians, Gleeson is the film’s serious underbelly.
A Sly, Fun Horror Film
The reason “Lake Placid†works is it keeps you laughing the whole time. The film’s 1 hour and 22 minutes, and the first half is basically a joke-fest. Gleeson’s Hank Keough is usually the butt of those jokes, but he wears it well. “Lake Placid†is if the cast of “Seinfeld†went on a horror/adventure. Gleeson plays Keough as a small-minded dolt who likes to flaunt his jurisdiction, except this time the DEC outranks him. But Keough’s seen firsthand what the danger in his lake can do. At the film’s opening he hauls a DEC tagger on board—the poor guy was just marking some beaver nests—and sees something has removed his legs from his upper half. Here’s where the film could’ve been an homage to “Jawsâ€â€”if it was interested in homages. “Lake Placid†is its own thing and doesn’t really care who knows it.Â
I love that the film was directed by Steve Miner. The guy is a genre-hopping God. Miner’s directed TV’s “The Practice,†parts of “Dawson’s Creek,†“Friday the 13th Part 2,†“Halloween H20,†TV’s “The Wonder Years†and “Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken.†He rules. He directed “Big Bully,†so his affinity for comedy also proceeds him. Here he mixes a romance with a creature feature with a comedy sketch combined with a sometimes-serious film. How he and Writer David E. Kelley (mostly known for TV legal and medical shows) went from crocodile-massacred carcasses, to Betty White cracking jokes, to finally making a case for animal conservation is beyond me. But the whole thing works. “Lake Placid’s†characters are likable and annoying at the same time. Platt especially excels. I’ve loved him in “A Time to Kill†and “Three to Tango†equally. He was the ‘90s everyman.Â
The Cast Makes the Film
What works about “Lake Placidâ€â€”aside from its effects, which are pretty good (the film had a $35M budget)—is that none of the actors ever take center stage. It’s a true ensemble. You can tell several things off the bat. One, Pullman’s Jack Wells is Sweet on Fonda’s Kelly Scott, and the film takes until the near close to throw us a bone. Second, Hank Keough has this “cannon†(it’s some kind of high-powered rifle) he can’t wait to try out. He reminded me of the deputy from “Friday the13th Part VI†who bought a laser scope “he’s been dying to use.†The troll on small town cops who see no action but buy mail order SWAT gear is on full display. Yet Keough has a likability and kindness about him that defies this. When he finally fires it, he declares, wisely, it was “overrated.â€
Speaking of the SFX, the crocodile is impressive. It must be said that at times it’s very obvious that the swift movements and speed of it are sometimes-shaky GCI, yet the stiller moments—such as when it silently stares down Platt’s Cyr—are more believable. Also believable is “Lake Placid’s†gore, which relies more on practical effects than CGI. It’s meant to be comical. Yet at the same time the film is often semi-serious. When Cyr gets in the water with the croc (he’s a Steve Irwin type who believes in the God-like nature of crocodiles) and realizes he’s in trouble, he mutters, “suddenly I feel a bit foolish†before swimming slowly to safety. “Lake Placid†knows when to pull back, which saves it from a true b-movie. Plus, there are too many lovable stars for that to happen.Â
A Great Film for Lighter Horror Fare
I remember watching this film in my 20s and the jokes that stayed with me. Keough remarks he didn’t know crocodiles could cross oceans and Cyr smirks, “they conceal information like that in books†before getting a punch in the kisser. Yet later the two make up and become friends. At another juncture, Pullman picks up a CB radio and the film is making a full-on homage to “Independence Day†that I found lovable. However, watching “Lake Placid†in 2026 I was struck with how utterly wholesome it is. The motley crew starts at each other’s throats but by the end care about each other. And along the way—alongside decapitated heads, severed torsos, and complete mayhem—the film also makes a definitive statement about protecting wildlife. This is pure ‘90s. It simply couldn’t happen today.Â
“Lake Placid†is a fun film. It’s billed as horror but really isn’t. It’s an ensemble picture to the truest form and features some of the funniest dialogue there is. You’ll laugh from start to finish—when people aren’t dying, of course—and it’s a joy to see Betty White as the film’s absolute villain. If you haven’t seen the film, I won’t spoil it, but White is basically endangering the whole lake for her own amusement. The film isn’t perfect but ends the way it must. I like thinking of this as the popcorn film de jour from 1999. It’s fun from start to finish and a great addition to your horror-a-thon if you’re looking for lighter fare.
