Classic Cronenberg body horror

Rating: 9/10 (29 March 2017)

When scientist Seth Brundle tells journalist Veronica Quaife that he is working on a project that will change the world she thinks he must be exaggerating but when she sees it she realises he has invented something amazing; a device that will teleport an object from one teleportation pod to another. There is a catch though; it only works on inanimate objects. After more experimentation he manages to successfully teleport a baboon. He agrees to wait for tests before teleporting himself but then changes his mind. Unfortunately when he teleports he isn't alone in his pod; there is a common house fly in with him and when he emerges there is no sign of the fly. He soon notices that he is far more dynamic. He assumes that he has somehow improved but then he starts to change more; he grows course hairs, his nails fall out and it soon becomes apparent that he has been genetically spliced with the fly; Seth Brundle is no more; he is now Brundlefly.
This is a rather different horror film as rather than seeing characters die due to the actions of some horrific creature it is about the horrible things that are happening to somebody as he becomes the creature. That isn't to say that there is nothing unpleasant happening to other people there are a couple of particularly unpleasant things that happen. The special effects are impressive; especially the way Brundle gradually transforms into Brundlefly. Jeff Goldblum does a fine job as Brundle managing to play him in a subtly different way either side of his transformation without being too obvious. He is ably supported by Geena Davis who does a great job as Veronica as she come to terms with what is happening to Brundle and feels pressured to teleport herself. John Getz also puts in an entertaining performance as Veronica's sleazy boss. Given that it is now over thirty years old it feels remarkably fresh; apart from Brundle's computer one feels it could have been made much more recently of course if that had been the case we'd have got CGI rather than the great physical effects. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to horror fans; just don't expect a large body count and do expect some fairly disgusting effects!