Piranha

Play trailer

Piranha

R

1978

1h 32m

Horror

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

53%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Two people (Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies) unwittingly free a mad military scientist's (Kevin McCarthy) mutant fish near a summer camp and resort lake.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Performed with a wink and directed with wry self-awareness, Piranha is an unabashed B-movie with satirical bite.

Read Critics Reviews

Nick Schager

Lessons of Darkness

Jan 10, 2006

B+

Of all the late '70s-early '80s Jaws knockoffs, none balanced tongue-in-cheek humor with out-and-out gore as deftly as Joe Dante's Piranha.

Go to Full Review

Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Mar 31, 2026

3/4

It’s generally agreed that producer Roger Corman’s Piranha remains the best of the Jaws copycats; even Steven Spielberg counts himself among the film’s fans.

Go to Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 17, 2023

3.5/5

Ultimately Dante is the star and his personality seeps from ever pore of the movie. From his snarky jabs at the military and political apparatuses to silly flourishes that seem to come from out of the blue, Dante’s fingerprints are everywhere.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Aug 9, 2023

3.5/4

Dante’s talented, sure hands assemble a fun little horror-thriller that deserves to be seen as more than just a post-Spielberg rehash, but a winking and skilled thriller in the summer escapism style.

Go to Full Review

Stephanie Archer

Film Inquiry

Jul 30, 2022

While Piranha may not be the best horror film, even boarder lining ridiculous at times, it is undeniably entertaining.

Go to Full Review

Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Aug 30, 2020

5/10

The actual attack sequences are fairly convincing, using rapid cuts, panicked thrashing, inserts of toothy fish picking at flesh, lots of blood, and frenzied sound effects.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Robert P

@Superbad Sep 9, 2026

This was kinda cheesy...

See more

B P

@Bradster69 Sep 3, 2026

Not Bad, but Not My Favorite

See more

Jason H

@RT50328122 Aug 31, 2026

This movie is a lot more entertaining than it should be,

See more

Ian S

@RT48225084 Aug 29, 2026

Moderately entertaining 70's Eco/horror. Good performance from Bradford Dillman. Better than most of the Piranha remakes and sequels. Worth a watch.

See more

Jesse M

@Midnitekrawlr Aug 13, 2026

San Marcos we have a problem.

See more

Dallas H

@FozzieMcFly Apr 28, 2026

The movie is such a classic staple of the drive-in theater lineup. It's a bummer the studios bothered with remakes and sequels, because Joe Dante's original film is perfect in that cheesy, B-movie sort of way that makes the viewer feel nostalgic every time we watch it.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Joe Dante

Director

Bradford Dillman

Paul Grogan

Heather Menzies-Urich

Maggie McKeown

Kevin McCarthy

Dr. Robert Hoak

Keenan Wynn

Jack

Dick Miller

Buck Gardner

C.H.U.D.

44%

33%

C.H.U.D.

Watchlist

TRAILER

for C.H.U.D.

Return to Horror High

0%

20%

Return to Horror High

Watchlist

Hellbound: Hellraiser II

53%

59%

Hellbound: Hellraiser II

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Hellbound: Hellraiser II

The Howling

76%

61%

The Howling

Watchlist

The Legacy

19%

30%

The Legacy

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

Two people (Bradford Dillman, Heather Menzies) unwittingly free a mad military scientist's (Kevin McCarthy) mutant fish near a summer camp and resort lake.

Director: Joe Dante
Producer: Jon Davison
Screenwriter: John Sayles
Distributor: New World Pictures
Production Co: New World Pictures
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 3, 1978, Original
Release Date (Streaming): May 3, 2018
Runtime: 1h 32m
Sound Mix: Mono

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings