The Wisdom of Crocodiles

R

Released May 1, 2000

1 hr. 38 min.

Horror

List

47%

19 Reviews

Tomatometer

53%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

After years of murdering single women for their blood, debonair vampire Steven Griscz (Jude Law) can no longer quench his thirst at the pallid necks of the lonely and miserable. To continue to sustain himself, he desperately needs the vibrant, energizing blood of a victim who loves him. As Griscz struggles to seduce gorgeous scientist Anne Levela (Elina Lowensohn), policeman Healey (Timothy Spall) follows a trail of clues leading directly to his door.

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Critics Consensus

Stylish, but emotionally uninvolving.

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Audience Member

Nicely done "alternative" vampire tale

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

could be much better

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/15/23

Full Review

Audience Member

***Due to the recent RT changes that have basically ruined my past reviews, I am mostly only giving a rating rather than a full review.***

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

thought it was ok for some of it,got confused close to the end and was disappointed by the end. it was bittersweet to see how it played out and stephen griscz was confusing over all. i'd say if you're curious to see it,i guess its worth giving a shot,but don't have high hopes for it to be fantastic

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I was hoping Jude Law good bring something interesting to a stale and boring genre that for lack of a better term I'll call "creature feature drama." The featured creature here is a vampire, which happens to be played by Jude Law! Jude Law a vampire? How can that not be interesting? Watch and this and you will find out very quickly! The only thing engaging about the entire film was seeing Ivo Saliger's "Der Arztz" on the wall of the vampire's lair. It's otherwise an exercise in pretentious boredom with morality statements about the nature of mankind that could be penned by a teenager high on mildly illegal substance feeling the weight of realizing they will have to take responsibility for their actions and act like an adult, in about 10 years.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/09/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Slick alternate approach to a vampire story. Steven snares women, then bleeds them dry. By the time someone catches up to one, he's on to the next. The film opens with a car in a tree with copious blood flowing out of it. This was a former girl friend of Steven's. Steven prevents a woman, Maria, from committing suicide, then romances her. Later he dumps her body in some quicksand. The body is found by a Spanish fisher. Steven gets a visit from the police. Anne Labels is a structural engineer whom Steven meets at a museum. Steven saves the inspector from a gang. The gang re-appears later while Steven is with Anne; the leader means to use her. Steven beats up the other four gang members and gets Anne away from the leader. He subdues the leader; she returns with a weapon; they leave more or less unscathed. The police bring him in for more interviews. The police give up for a time when the inspector learns from Maria's friends that she was contemplating suicide and that Steven prevented it. Steven returns the crucifix that the gang leader stole from the inspector at their first meeting. Steven falls in love with Anne. He needs her blood, but he cannot do it. Such a quandary. Cinematography: 10/10 Sweet; well done. Sound: 10/10 Also good. Acting: 10/10 Top notch. Screenplay 9/10 A little slow moving, but well-constructed.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/13/23

Full Review

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Po-Chih Leong

Director

Jude Law

Steven Grlscz

Elina Löwensohn

Anne Labels

Timothy Spall

Inspector Healey

Kerry Fox

Maria Vaughan

Jack Davenport

Sergeant Roche

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Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

A philosophical thriller that's no less intriguing for being murkily theological and ceaselessly artsy.

Rated: B+

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Elvis Mitchell

New York Times

Rated: 3/5

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Peter Brunette

Film.com

Raises the most profound issues about the difference between humans and animals, good and evil, truth and lies.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Matt Bailey

Not Coming to a Theater Near You

Rated: 1/5

Jan 14, 2005

Full Review

Michael Dequina

TheMovieReport.com

Rated: 3/5

Dec 21, 2004

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...so enigmatic and mysterious that by the time the movie's over, you still aren't entirely sure what just happened.

Rated: 2/4

Aug 1, 2003

Full Review

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Synopsis

After years of murdering single women for their blood, debonair vampire Steven Griscz (Jude Law) can no longer quench his thirst at the pallid necks of the lonely and miserable. To continue to sustain himself, he desperately needs the vibrant, energizing blood of a victim who loves him. As Griscz struggles to seduce gorgeous scientist Anne Levela (Elina Lowensohn), policeman Healey (Timothy Spall) follows a trail of clues leading directly to his door.

Director: Po-Chih Leong
Executive Producer: Dorothy Berwin, Scott Meek, Nigel Stafford-Clark
Screenwriter: Paul Hoffman
Distributor: Miramax Films
Production Co: Zenith Productions, Arts Council of England, Goldwyn Films, Film Foundry Partners
Rating: R (Sexuality|Language|Gore|Strong Violence)
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 1, 2000, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 22, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $21.4K
Sound Mix: Surround, Dolby SR, Dolby Digital, Dolby Stereo
Aspect Ratio: Flat (1.85:1)

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