The Fly

Rating: 9/10 (14 July 2005)

The original 1950's gave us a good concept, but this remake from cult director David Cronenberg (Scanners, Videodrome) is much more superior, giving us much more fear about the world of science. Basically brilliant and eccentric scientist Seth Brundle (Jeff Goldblum) invites journalist (though he doesn't know that at first) Veronica Quaife (Geena Davis) to see his scientific discovery. He has created "Telepods", capable of "teleportation", the disintegration of an object from one pod and reintegrating it to the second pod. She is desperate to write a story about this, he objects at first, but allows her to build on the story while he tries to perfect the machine to transport living things. It takes a while to get there, Seth and Veronica get closer in the process, but the solution is found and a baboon is "teleported" successfully. When Seth gets jealous of Veronica, suspecting her of being with her boss and ex-boyfriend Stathis Borans (John Getz), alone he decides to go ahead and transport himself (filming it for Veronica) from pod to pod, not realising a common house fly is inside with him. The "teleportation" is successful, but as a few days go by, Veronica knows that Seth is changing, with his newfound abilities, and peculiar hairs on his back, which she takes to be analysed, they are found to be insect! Seth shouts for her to leave, but it becomes more obvious to him something worse, with his fingernails falling off, he investigates his "teleportation", that is when he discovers the fly with him in the pod, and that his DNA and that of the insect have been spliced. A few weeks later, Seth finally calls Veronica to come and see him, he has become a hideous mutated creature, "Brundlefly" he calls himself, that can climb on walls on ceiling, vomit to break down its food, and it is only going to continue until he becomes something else. While Seth's body falls apart he collects his body parts, or "relics" as he calls them, and he tries to find a solution to become human again, Veronica meanwhile finds out that she is pregnant, she knows it was after the "teleportation" and she wants an abortion. Seth of course finds this out and kidnaps Veronica, not only to save the baby, but to use her in the way he has found to be human again, splicing himself with her. It is just before doing this that Seth finally falls apart completely, his skin sheds to reveal the large fly creature beneath. In the end Stathis destroys the pod Veronica is in, the creature is teleported, the result of the fusion being that he has been spliced with the pod itself, Veronica aims the gun to kill the creature, but cannot bring herself to kill her lover, but the creature encourages her and after hesitation she does shoot and kill it. Cronenberg cameos as the Gynecologist in the nightmare about Veronica giving birth to a giant maggot. Goldblum and Davis give very good performances, and the story is very well made, but I think most people remember this film for the gory and visceral material. You are not far from seeing Goldblum fall apart and become more repulsive (personality included), with great music from Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings Trilogy), brilliant direction from Cronenberg, and superb award winning special effects make-up, this is a must see horror film. It won the Oscar for Best Makeup, and it was nominated the BAFTAs for Best Make Up Artist and Best Special Effects. Very, very good!