Lake Placid (1999) Rated R Starring: Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, and Oliver Platt Rating: out of

Kelly and a rather odd assortment of law enforcement and game commission officers set out to explore the lake and its new guest. The team includes Jack Wells (Bill Pullman), a game commission warden; Hank Keough (Brandon Gleeson), the sheriff who survived the first attack; and Hector Cyr (Oliver Platt), a palentologist who think crocodiles may be gods. Other assorted people who may or may not be potential croc bait also tag along for the trip.

When Jaws-like imagery is used on the box art to promote a movie about an abnormally large predatory animal, one would hope that that movie doesn't take itself too seriously. In its initial publicity trailers, Lake Placid was promoted as a straight-up horror film about a large crocodile that feeds on people. In actuality -- and to my relief -- writer David E. Kelley (from TV's "Ally McBeal") knew the film's premise is preposterous and treats it with an almost campy sense of humor, while delivering a few scares to keep the audience off balance.

If viewed from the beginning as a dopey exercise in horror, Lake Placid is an enjoyable, if short, comedy/horror film. The dialogue between the main characters is funny, but with a dry sense of humor that doesn't hit you over the head. In fact, it's when the movie tries to be funny -- like giving "Golden Girl" Betty White a role that requires her to spout obscenities -- that it misses the mark. If you're expecting something that will scare the daylights out of you and keep you from swimming in freshwater lakes for years, you'll be extremely disappointed.

Trivia: Betty White's character is told that PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) would be interested to learn of her alleged mistreatment of her cows. In reality, Betty White is a major on-air spokesperson for PETA. (Source: The Internet Movie Database)