Cronos

Critics Consensus

Guillermo del Toro's unique feature debut is not only gory and stylish, but also charming and intelligent.

Movie Info

This surreal variant on the classic vampire tale is the directorial debut of Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who garnered international acclaim and several awards. The film tells the story of elderly antique dealer Jesus Gris (Federico Luppi, in a role originally written for Max Von Sydow) who, with his eight-year-old granddaughter Aurora (Tamara Shanath), discovers an ancient artifact secreted within a statue obtained from the estate of a 16th-century alchemist. Unbeknownst to Gris, the device -- which resembles an ornate, gilded mechanical beetle -- houses an immortal parasite which will grant eternal life to its host. Naturally, there is a terrible price for this gift, which Gris is doomed to discover after the object anchors itself to his body. He begins to develop an extreme aversion to daylight, as well as an agonizing thirst for human blood. To compound matters, dying millionaire Dieter de la Guardia (Claudio Brook) has learned of the device's existence -- thanks to an occult tome obtained from its inventor -- and wishes to obtain it for his own use. To this end he employs his vain, brutish nephew Angel (Ron Perlman) to retrieve it for him. Angel's techniques are less than subtle, and he inevitably winds up killing Gris in his futile search for the artifact... but death is not permanent for the host of the Cronos, and he rises from the mortuary slab to reunite with the long-suffering Aurora. Together they confront de la Guardia and his nephew one last time, hoping to find a way to reverse the horrible process before Gris suffers the same monstrous fate as the device's creator. ~ Cavett Binion, Rovi

Rating:

R
Genre:

Art House & International, Drama, Horror, Mystery & Suspense
Directed By:

Guillermo del Toro
Written By:

Guillermo del Toro
In Theaters:

Jun 1, 1994 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 26, 1994
Runtime:

96 minutes
Studio:

Trimark

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Cast

Federico Luppi
as Jesus Gris

Ron Perlman
as Angel de la Guardia

Claudio Brook
as Dieter de la Guardia

Margarita Isabel
as Mercedes Gris

Tamara Shanath
as Aurora Gris

Robert M. Martinez
as Alchemist

Juan Carlos Colombo
as Funeral Director

Farnesio DeBernal
as Manuelito

Luis de Icaza
as Tango Student

Francisco Sanchez
as Mimo

Laurencio Cordero
as Watchman

Jorge Martinez De Hoyos
as Narrator

Farnesio de Bernal

Mario Ivan Martinez

Daniel Giménez Cacho

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Critic Reviews for Cronos

All Critics (51) | Top Critics (10) | Fresh (46) | Rotten (5)

Guillermo del Toro's feature debut is an arch twist on the vampire tale.

Oct 5, 2013 | Rating: 3/4 | Full Review…

Steven Rea
Philadelphia Inquirer
Top Critic
Cronos surprises with its sophisticated and spirited look at a tale straight from the crypt.

Oct 5, 2013 | Full Review…

Kenneth Turan
Los Angeles Times
Top Critic
While the film's first half entices with its secrets, the second half falls into a predictable narrative that refuses to even suggest possibilities.

Oct 5, 2013 | Rating: 2.5/4 | Full Review…

Achy Obejas
Chicago Tribune
Top Critic
You have to admire the style, sincerity, and overall sense of craft even if you don't fancy the comic-book gore.

Sep 24, 2007 | Full Review…

Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Top Critic
A most startling genre piece: tender, imaginative and wholly its own.

Feb 9, 2006 | Full Review…

Trevor Johnston
Time Out
Top Critic
A very stylish and sophisticated Mexican variation on some age-old themes.

Aug 30, 2004

Janet Maslin
New York Times
Top Critic
Cronos, the crafty debut of a young Mexican filmmaker named Guillermo del Toro, emerged as a warning shot. His tale of vampirism and immortality is half horror, half historical fable-like all the best del Toro work to come.

Oct 1, 2018 | Full Review…

Sean Fennessey
The Ringer
From the prologue, it becomes clear that del Toro possesses an extraordinary vivid pictorial sense.

May 25, 2018 | Full Review…

Malcolm Johnson
Hartford Courant
"Not everything is garbage," Dieter insists to his thuggish nephew Angel (Perlman)... Del Toro, too, knows that he is working in a genre typically dismissed as trash, but nonetheless, like an alchemist, transmutes it into pure cinematic gold.

Feb 5, 2018 | Full Review…

Anton Bitel
VODzilla.co
It's part melodrama, part morality play and part thriller, more Dorian Gray than Bram Stoker and infused with a heady alchemic brew of ancient science, supernatural shadows, mutant organisms, demented villains...

Oct 5, 2017 | Full Review…

Sean Axmaker
Stream on Demand
A compelling, complex and wonderfully atmospheric film from Mexican director Guillermo del Toro that is as much about religion and the nature of cinema as it is a horror story.

Oct 5, 2013 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

David Parkinson
Radio Times
Stylishly dusted with musty mysticism, Cronos never sinks its teeth to the bone, but despite some grumbling plot-cogs, del Toro's hallmarks -- tragic heart, splatty body horror, prickly insect-fear -- all gestate wickedly.

Oct 8, 2012 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Total Film

View All Critic Reviews (51)

Audience Reviews for Cronos

Dec 22, 2017

Del Toro's feature debut may not be exactly a classic but is a smart horror film that can be quite disturbing and unpredictable in the way it uses a lot of style and gore to create a curious parallel between a man's obsession with being young and drug addiction.

Carlos M Super Reviewer
Jan 24, 2017

Guillermo proved he had what it takes to be a good director in his debut feature. Cronos is a horror film about an ancient device that grants immortality to the owner at the cost of their humanity. One dying man seeks to obtain this device no matter what the cost and many unfortunate events occurred. It's a little bit slow and the storyline was rather bizarre,nevertheless it was violent and gory with surprising star Ron Perlman playing the antagonist.

Sylvester K Super Reviewer
Jan 31, 2014

Terrific vampire film, Cronos is a horrifying take on the genre, one that director Guillermo del Toro takes on with great confidence. This is a terrifying horror film one that has a tense, eerie atmosphere, which adds to the disturbing aspect of the film. With that being said, it only adds to the terror of the film, and you have a sense of fear throughout. The story is engaging and well thought out. The film will surely please genre fans, and del Toro crafts one of the most memorable vampire films of the 90's. If you want a more traditional vampire film to watch, Cronos more than delivers. This is a thrilling horror film, one that is chilling from start to finish. Cronos is the type of vampire film that adds to the consistency of quality vampire films. Cronos is a fine picture from del Toro, and he makes a terrific feature that continues the tradition of terrifying, memorable vampire films. del Toro has always had a great imagination when it came to making great horror films, and Cronos is proof of that. With a great story, good cast and intense chills. Cronos is a memorable horror film that is a must watch for genre fans. del Toro has delivered a stunning work that makes for a memorable horror film going experience. Cronos has plenty of atmosphere to create its memorable chills. If you love a good vampire flick, Cronos is yet another stunning picture that relies on a great story, and powerful visuals to make for a great film.

Alex r Super Reviewer
Jul 28, 2013

Bizarre and creepy spin on the vampire mythos, del Toro's debut is filled with superb little details but I found the central story un-engaging and rather too self-contained. The interest lies more in spotting motifs that have since recurred in del Toro's other, more successful films.

Daniel P Super Reviewer