15 Best Crocodile and Alligator Movies of All Time

Natural horror films became a talking point worldwide soon after the release of Steven Spielberg’s iconic shark film ‘Jaws’ in 1975. The movie helped create the concept of the summer blockbuster and broke many records at the box office in the process. Since the release of ‘Jaws,’ many filmmakers have tried to develop their own natural horror movies involving other creatures. Among them, one of the most popular creatures that has come up time and again is the crocodile.

Crocodiles and alligators, just like sharks, are out-and-out predators known for their ferocious nature that doesn’t distinguish among their prey as long as they can be eaten. The fear they induce has led filmmakers to take an interest in them. So, here’s the list of the top crocodile and alligator movies of all time.

15. Xtinction: Predator X (2010)

The Amir Valinia film deals with a pliosaurus, a prehistoric version of what we now call the crocodile. The central character of the film is a woman named Laura who comes to her home in the wetlands to look for her missing father. She finds out that her former husband, Charles, plans to buy the wetland belonging to Laura’s family. She refuses to sell the land to him and drives Charles away. However, Charles is not someone to give up that easily, and we see him kidnapping Laura and two of her guests, all of whom he plans to feed to the deadly pliosaurus. Another one of the campy crocodile flicks, ‘Xtinction: Predator X’ does not have much to offer in terms of originality, but it sure does pack a punch when it comes to sheer entertainment. You can watch the movie on Tubi.

14. Eaten Alive (1977)

Tobe Hooper’s ‘Eaten Alive’ is a story about a deranged man more than it is about crocodile attacks. The central character of the film is a man named Judd, who runs a small dilapidated motel in rural Texas. When a prostitute comes asking for a room in the middle of the night, Judd attacks her with a pitchfork and throws her into the lake surrounding the motel, where he keeps a Nile crocodile as a pet. Judd gets somewhat obsessed with his killing process and keeps feeding people to his crocodile until the authorities finally take notice. It must be mentioned here that despite being badly done, the film stands out with its unique concept of blending elements of the serial killer and the crocodile movies into one. You can watch it on Peacock.

13. Alligator (1980)

Though the plot of this 1980 film is rather far-fetched, it is still quite entertaining. The Lewis Teague directorial tells the story of an alligator that grows up in the sewers after being flushed down the toilet when it was a baby. The creature becomes a killing monster with an appetite for destruction. When a detective and a herpetologist try to find the giant, they obviously face life-threatening challenges. ‘Alligator’s plot is too ridiculous for us to take seriously, but the movie has a campy quality to it that you might enjoy. You can watch it on Prime.

Read More: Best Shark Movies on HBO Max

12. Lake Placid (1999)

Steve Miner’s ‘Lake Placid’ is the story of this very fictional saltwater crocodile and its encounter with Sheriff Hank Keough, Fish and Game officer Jack Wells, and American Museum of Natural History paleontologist Kelly Scott. From grenade launchers to tranquilizer guns, these experts need all sorts of weapons to tackle the monster and restore normalcy to the area once again. You can rent ‘Lake Placid’ on Prime.

11. Lake Placid 2 (2007)

Directed by David Flores, ‘Lake Placid 2’ follows a researcher and his friends as they try to collect samples from the Black Lake area. However, the lake is now infested with two male and one female crocodile, all of which are very protective of their habitat and will kill anyone they might consider a threat. One thing the makers did right is that they made this film into a horror-comedy wherein their ridiculous graphics and the half-baked story fit in perfectly.

10. The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course (2002)

Directed by John Stainton, the film features the man most associated with crocodiles – the late great Steve Irwin, in his first-ever feature film role. The film’s story centers around two CIA agents who come looking for a crocodile that has accidentally swallowed a tracking drone. However, the conservationist Steve Irwin believes them to be poachers and thus is determined to stop them at any cost. It is only when they explain the matter to him in detail that Irwin joins their purpose in catching the crocodile and retrieving the device from the deadly reptile. The film more or less portrays Irwin in his natural world, where he goes around taking care of the animals but is then suddenly thrust into this adventure. You can watch ‘The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course’ on Tubi.

9. Killer Crocodile (1989)

‘Killer Crocodile’ is an Italian B-movie directed by Fabrizio De Angelis with campy graphics and a simplistic storyline. The film centers around a group of friends who visit a swampland to investigate the dumping of toxic wastes in the area, which has become a huge problem for its ecological sustenance. What they do not know is that a crocodile living in the same region has grown to a gigantic size owing to the toxic waste and has become much more aggressive than a regular crocodile.

The camera work in this movie is rather shoddy, and the crocodile that we see onscreen is equally laughable. But it must be said that ‘Killer Crocodile’ is a terrific entertainer – it never bores and always manages to keep the audience at the edge of their seats. You can watch the film on Prime.

8. Blood Surf (2000)

James D.R. Hickox’s ‘Blood Surf’ centers on a filmmaking group that has come to a coastal region with a rather unique plan. They want to capture some thrilling footage in the ocean by making surfers surf when sharks are busy eating bloody carcasses that they throw into the sea. However, this group is hardly aware of the fact that a giant 30-foot prehistoric saltwater crocodile lives in the place they are shooting at. ‘Blood Surf,’ besides offering the thrills such monster movies generally offer, is also a strong statement against using nature just for our pleasures and personal gains. If nature strikes back in any form, the results can truly be devastating. You can watch ‘Blood Surf’ on Tubi.

7. The Hatching (2014)

Directed by Michael Anderson, ‘The Hatching’ is another film that directly deals with the negative effects of man distorting the natural habitats of animals for pleasure. The central character of the film is a character named Tim Webber. He returns to the village where he was born to discover that a killer crocodile has been terrorizing the area, having already taken the lives of quite a number of people. Webber soon realizes that it is due to one of his actions that the people of his village are suffering.

A long time ago, Webber and two of his friends stole a couple of crocodile eggs and disposed of them somewhere near his village. Those two eggs hatched, and now the villagers have to deal with their killing spree. The message of ecological sustenance and respect for an animal’s natural habitat can be the only takeaway from this otherwise generic crocodile film. You can rent it on Prime.

6. Freshwater (2016)

The Brandeis Berry directorial follows a group of friends who have gone to their idyllic lake house located on an island in the middle of Lake Charles to spend some days in peace. However, their experience ends up being exactly the opposite when they realize that a deadly killer crocodile is roaming the waters and has already claimed the life of one of their friends. You can stream ‘Freshwater’ on Tubi.

5. Primeval (2007)

Directed by Michael Katleman, ‘Primeval’ is inspired by the true story of a man-eating male Nile crocodile (believed to have claimed around 300 human lives, although the actual number remains unknown) named ‘Gustave,’ in the Ruzizi River in Burundi, Africa. The film follows reporters Tim Manfrey (Dominic Purcell) and Aviva Masters (Brooke Langton), who arrive in Burundi to cover Gustave and have it captured if possible. While Gustave is notorious for his kills, the reporters also have to deal with a warlord who calls himself “Little Gustave” and is the main cause of unrest in the country. A film that blends killer croc with civil war, ‘Primeval’ is an entertaining drama you can watch on Prime.

4. The Brutal River (2005)

‘Brutal River’ is a 2005 Thai film set in a small, otherwise peaceful province called Chumporn. However, the tranquility is shattered when a carcass is discovered on the banks of a river that flows by the province. Moreover, villagers also start disappearing without any trace whatsoever. Observing some footprints found across the riverbank, the villagers come to the conclusion that there is a large water beast stalking the area. It must be mentioned here that the plotline of this Anat Yuangngern film is much more interesting than the regular campy crocodile flicks that come out of Hollywood.

3. Rogue (2007)

Greg McLean’s ‘Rogue’ is inspired by the true story of another giant male saltwater crocodile named Sweetheart, known for attacking boats in Australia’s Northern Territory in the late 1970s. The film pins a group of tourists, including travel journalist Pete McKell (Michael Vartan), led by wildlife researcher Kate Ryan (Radha Mitchell), against a huge saltwater crocodile while the group is on a river cruise at the Kakadu National Park. Can they survive the onslaught of a 25-foot croc in its home ground? With solid visual effects and a well-executed plot, ‘Rogue’ is a must-watch Croc movie you can stream on Prime.

2. Black Water (2007)

A horrible fate befalls Grace, her husband Adam, and her sister Lee when they go on a trip to the Australian mangrove swamps and fall prey to a giant crocodile in this scary drama. The three of them are on a boat, and the crocodile constantly attacks the structure, hoping that any one of them will fall into the water. The suspense created in this film, by Andrew Traucki and David Nerlich, using merely three characters, is very effective and adds to the thrill of not knowing when the giant will attack. The graphics, which are very important in such movies, are also impressive. You can watch the film on Tubi.

1. Crawl (2019)

‘Crawl’ interestingly merges the tropes of the disaster and the horror film genres. Directed by Alexandre Aja, the film tells the story of a young girl named Haley (Kaya Scodelario) who is searching for her estranged, missing father when a hurricane hits their town in Florida. She finally discovers him at their home, but by the time they are ready to leave, the entire area has been flooded, and alligators are teeming all around, ready to attack at the very first chance. The film boasts thrilling moments and holds on well to its fast pace throughout its run time. Besides telling a story of man vs nature, ‘Crawl’ also spends adequate time tackling the nuances of a father-daughter relationship. You can watch it on Prime.