The Fly (1986)

The critic praises Cronenberg’s focus on the scientist’s slow physical transformation and decomposition as a visceral exploration of body horror. It singles out the film’s resonance with AIDS-era anxieties and its operatic portrayal of decay and sexuality.

Cronenberg remakes the 1958 chiller to explore his signature fears of ageing, disease, deformity and the beast within, delivering raw phobias with poignant wit and repulsive entertainment. Goldblum's sensitive performance softens the grisly effects, though the gore may still overwhelm some viewers.

The critic lauds the film’s explicit onscreen violence and Goldblum’s performance as it depicts a man’s gradual loss of self. It highlights the emotional core as a meditation on death and deterioration rather than mere shocks.

The critic sees the film as being about fusion—of man and insect, and of the emotional and physical bond between man and woman—rather than teleportation or hubris. The playful chemistry between Goldblum and Davis makes the gothic horror both heartbreaking and stomach-churning, with still-staggering special effects.

The critic praises Goldblum's performance and the graceful romantic teamwork with Geena Davis, noting that Cronenberg narrows the focus to one man's decaying body in a determinedly concentrated film that holds attention.

Cronenberg's remake is not for the squeamish but benefits from Goldblum's quirky touch as the scientist and effective containment of the action in a limited space with a small cast.

The critic finds the all-out goriness distracting and ultimately destructive to the film, though Jeff Goldblum's fly-man has heart and humor and Cronenberg's vision is ambitious.

Cronenberg's triumphant reworking of the 1958 film remains his most accessible, meshing his obsessions with disease, decay and metamorphosis into an exuberantly handled, shamelessly melodramatic love story. It is his most triumphant and accessible film to date.

The critic calls Cronenberg’s remake an eighties horror classic superior to the original, highlighting its doomed love story and Goldblum’s standout performance as the scientist fused with a fly. The emotional depth, believable effects, and strong acting from Goldblum and Davis make it a superb, affecting film.