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Crocodile (2000) movie poster

Timeline

Crocodile (2000) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2000 · 94 mins · English
Directed by
Tobe Hooper
Starring
Adam Gierasch, Julie Mintz, Chris Innis, Terrence Evans, Chris Solari, Caitlin Martin

When a group of friends—Brady Turner, Claire and Duncan McKay—set out for a weekend boat trip on a Southern California lake, their carefree outing quickly becomes a nightmare. A massive crocodile, enraged after its eggs are stolen, begins hunting anyone who crosses its path. The friends must battle the relentless predator on the water and shoreline, with each splash raising the terror, fighting to survive before the beast claims them.

Horror Cast, crew & box office
On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (15)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Crocodile
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Crocodile (2000)

Where can you watch Crocodile? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV and Fawesome: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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15 events in order · contains spoilers

Crocodile Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Crocodile (2000) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Trip departure and Sheriff warning

    Eight teenagers set off on a weekend boat trip to a remote lake in Southern California. Sheriff Bowman stops them at the dock and warns them to be sensible and stay out of danger.

    When
    Start of trip (day)
    Where
    Remote lake, Southern California

  2. Bonfire and the legend of Flat Dog

    During the first night by the campfire, Kit recounts the local legend of Flat Dog and a cult that worships her as Sobek’s avatar. The story begins with Harlan, a hotel owner who built a shrine to the crocodile and was driven from town. Nearby, two fishermen destroy a nest and are devoured by Flat Dog.

    When
    Night 1
    Where
    Lakeside campfire

  3. Harlan's backstory and the nest attack

    The legend's backstory places Harlan as a hotel owner who created a shrine to Flat Dog and believed the creature to be Sobek's avatar. The town eventually drives him away and torches his hotel years later. Nearby, two fishermen destroy a nest, and Flat Dog devours them.

    When
    Early 1900s (1904)
    Where
    Harlan's hotel vicinity and nest site

  4. Nest discovery and egg concealment

    The next day, Annabelle's dog runs away, leading the group to the crocodile nest. Duncan breaks an egg, and Hubs hides the last egg in Claire's bag.

    When
    Day 2
    Where
    Crocodile nest by the lake

  5. Reckless revelry and breakup

    That night, Sunny is incredibly drunk and reveals that Brady cheated on Claire with her, causing Claire to break up with Brady. Hubs, also intoxicated, falls asleep by the bonfire.

    When
    Night 2
    Where
    Bonfire area

  6. Hubs eaten by Flat Dog

    Hubs attempts to return to the boat but is eaten by Flat Dog as the boat drifts away. The group watches in horror as their only shelter from the predator slips further from reach.

    When
    Night 2
    Where
    Shore near bonfire

  7. Morning stranding

    In the morning, the boat is found stuck and the friends are stranded on the lake’s edge. They begin trying to repair the vessel to make an escape.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Lakeshore/boat

  8. Brady and Sunny's rescue mission

    Brady and Sunny set out to locate Hubs. Sunny tries to coax Brady into swimming, and they narrowly escape an attack by Flat Dog before rushing back to warn the others.

    When
    Day
    Where
    Wooded lakeshore

  9. Boat attack and Foster's death

    Flat Dog arrives and sinks the boat, killing Foster and leaving the survivors scrambling on land as the predator closes in. The survivors realize they are still trapped.

    When
    Day
    Where
    Lakeshore/shoreline

  10. Sheriff teams with locals to hunt Flat Dog

    Sheriff Bowman finds the fishermen’s and Hubs’ remains and seeks help from locals Shurkin and Lester. Shurkin vows to hunt Flat Dog to avenge his family. Lester is shown feeding the creature but is devoured.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Near the lake; local wildlife facility

  11. Teens in the woods at night

    As night falls, the teenagers are still stranded and Flat Dog returns to hunt them. Sunny is killed and eaten.

    When
    Night 3
    Where
    Woods around the lake

  12. Shop siege and Annabelle's death

    The group reaches a small shop where Brady tries to phone the Sheriff. Flat Dog bursts through a wall and devours Annabelle.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Small roadside shop

  13. Truck escape and Kit's death

    Kit escapes toward the truck outside as Brady, Claire, and Duncan fight Flat Dog. A fire starts, the truck explodes and Kit is killed, scattering the beast.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Shop exterior/parking area

  14. Final rescue and ambush on the boat

    The Sheriff and Shurkin rescue Brady, Claire, and Duncan on their boat, but Flat Dog attacks again. Shurkin is knocked into the water and eaten, and the Sheriff is killed as the survivors swim to land.

    When
    Morning after Night 4
    Where
    Boat and water vicinity

  15. Egg lure and ending

    Claire finds Flat Dog’s last egg in her bag and uses it as bait to lure the crocodile. Duncan is swallowed, but regurgitated after being sprayed with bug spray, and Claire offers the egg to Flat Dog. The egg hatches a baby crocodile, and the survivors escape.

    When
    Final confrontation
    Where
    Near the nest/shore

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 15:31

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Timeline questions answered

Crocodile Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Crocodile (2000): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does the crocodile attack the teenagers?

The crocodile, Flat Dog, attacks the teenagers because they stole her eggs. When Duncan breaks one egg and Hubs hides the last one in Claire's bag, the enraged mother crocodile begins hunting anyone near the lake to protect her offspring.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Kit tells the legend about Flat Dog devouring two fishermen who destroyed her nest, establishing her violent response to egg theft.

  • flat dog
  • crocodile attack
  • eggs stolen
  • teenagers attacked
  • why attacked
Q2

How did the egg get into Claire's bag?

Hubs secretly hides the last crocodile egg in Claire's bag while the group is at the nest. He does this without anyone noticing, and Claire doesn't discover it until later when she's searching through her belongings during the final confrontation.

Foreshadowing: The group finds the nest after Annabelle's dog Princess runs off, leading them to discover the eggs in the first place.

  • egg in bag
  • hubs
  • hides egg
  • claire bag
  • crocodile egg
Q3

How does Duncan survive being swallowed by the crocodile?

Duncan is swallowed whole by Flat Dog during the final confrontation, but he survives because he had bug spray in his pocket. When he sprays it inside the crocodile's throat, the chemical irritates the animal and causes her to regurgitate him immediately.

  • duncan swallowed
  • bug spray
  • survives crocodile
  • regurgitated
Q4

How do the Sheriff and Shurkin die?

The Sheriff and Shurkin are killed during the final boat rescue. When Flat Dog attacks again, Shurkin is knocked into the water and eaten. The Sheriff is then killed by the crocodile as the survivors swim to land, leaving Brady, Claire, and Duncan as the only survivors.

Foreshadowing: Sheriff Bowman had promised to find and kill Flat Dog to avenge his own grandfather and father's deaths, foreshadowing his doomed confrontation.

  • sheriff death
  • shurkin dies
  • killed by crocodile
  • boat attack
Q5

Why does the crocodile leave during the truck explosion?

The crocodile retreats when the truck explodes because the loud noise and fire scare her away. The explosion creates chaos and flames that force Flat Dog to abandon her attack on the survivors inside the shop, giving them time to escape.

  • truck explodes
  • crocodile retreats
  • fire scares crocodile
  • escape
Q6

Why was Flat Dog worshipped as a god?

Flat Dog was worshipped as an avatar of Sobek, the ancient Egyptian crocodile god. A hotel owner named Harlan built a shrine to her and treated her as a divine creature, creating a small cult that worshipped the 40-foot crocodile. The town eventually drove Harlan away and burned his hotel.

  • sobek
  • god worship
  • harlan
  • cult
  • legend flat dog
Q7

What happens to the baby crocodile at the end?

The egg that Claire uses as bait hatches into a baby crocodile during the final confrontation. Claire returns the hatchling to Flat Dog's nest, appeasing the mother crocodile enough to allow the survivors to escape. The baby survives and joins its mother.

  • baby crocodile
  • hatches
  • egg returns
  • nest
  • survives
Q8

How do the survivors lure the crocodile?

Claire discovers the last egg in her bag and realizes they can use it as bait. They use the egg to draw Flat Dog out of hiding so they can attack her. The plan works, leading to the final confrontation where Duncan is swallowed but survives.

  • lure crocodile
  • egg bait
  • flat dog
  • bait plan
  • final confrontation
Q9

Why does Hubs fall asleep by the bonfire?

Hubs falls asleep by the bonfire because he is extremely intoxicated along with Sunny. Both teens drink heavily that night, and while everyone else returns to the boat, Hubs stays passed out on the shore. This leaves him vulnerable when Flat Dog attacks later that night.

  • hubs sleeps
  • bonfire
  • drunk
  • hubs dies
  • left behind
Q10

Why is Sunny killed by the crocodile?

Sunny is killed while the survivors are stranded in the woods at night. Flat Dog returns to hunt them, and Sunny becomes the next victim. Her death occurs as the crocodile continues its relentless pursuit of the remaining teenagers.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Sunny's drunk confession about Brady's infidelity created tension, but her death is primarily due to the crocodile's hunting, not any plot-specific reason.

  • sunny dies
  • eaten by crocodile
  • night attack
  • woods

Movie threads

More Movies Like Crocodile, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Crocodile tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Aquatic survival horror movies like Crocodile

Characters trapped on boats or in water face relentless attacks from below. If you liked the water-based terror in Crocodile, you'll find similar thrills in these movies. This list features creature features and survival horror stories where characters are hunted on lakes, oceans, or rivers, facing monsters from the deep in a fight for survival.

  • aquatic horror
  • claustrophobic
  • suspenseful
  • survival horror
  • panic
  • relentless
  • Tone: tense, relentless
  • Pacing: fast, suspenseful
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread typically involve a group of people enjoying a leisure activity on the water when they are suddenly attacked by a predatory creature. The narrative follows a straightforward hunt-and-survive structure, with the confined space of the boat or shoreline forcing direct confrontations and creating a sense of inescapable dread.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share the specific setting of aquatic isolation, a fast-paced narrative of survival, and a high-intensity tone focused on primal fear. The combination of a relentless creature threat and the logistical nightmare of escaping on water creates a cohesive, adrenaline-fueled viewing experience.

Deep Rising movie poster

Deep Rising

2023
Underwater movie poster

Underwater

2020
Deep Blue Sea 2 movie poster

Deep Blue Sea 2

2018
Dangerous Waters movie poster

Dangerous Waters

2023
Black Water: Abyss movie poster

Black Water: Abyss

2020
Red Water movie poster

Red Water

2003
2-Headed Shark Attack movie poster

2-Headed Shark Attack

2012
Bait movie poster

Bait

2012

Animal revenge horror movies like Crocodile

Animals or forces of nature turn violent after being disturbed by humans. For viewers who enjoyed the premise of Crocodile, where a wronged animal seeks vengeance, this list compiles similar films. Discover movies where nature fights back, featuring creatures from bears to sharks that hunt humans who have provoked them, delivering satisfyingly brutal consequences.

  • revenge
  • animal attack
  • gruesome
  • suspenseful
  • brutal
  • consequences
  • Tone: tense, brutal
  • Pacing: fast, relentless
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern follows a clear cause-and-effect structure: a human act of ignorance or greed (like stealing eggs) directly triggers a violent response from a powerful animal. The story then becomes a chase or siege, where the characters are forced to confront the consequences of their actions while fighting for their lives.

Why they belong together: These films are united by the core theme of nature's vengeance. They share a high-intensity, tense tone driven by a justified antagonist, creating a specific type of horror where the monster's motive is understandable. The focus on survival against a force that was provoked gives these stories a distinct moral and visceral charge.

Maneater movie poster

Maneater

2007
Grizzly II: Revenge (1983) movie poster

Grizzly II: Revenge (1983)

2020
Nightbeasts movie poster

Nightbeasts

2010
Day of the Animals movie poster

Day of the Animals

1977
Sabretooth movie poster

Sabretooth

2002
Grizzly Rage movie poster

Grizzly Rage

2007
Crocodile movie poster

Crocodile

2000
Jaws: The Revenge movie poster

Jaws: The Revenge

1987

If you liked this

Movies Like Crocodile

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Alligator movie poster

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Krocodylus movie poster

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Crocodile 2: Death Swamp movie poster

Crocodile 2: Death Swamp

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Python movie poster

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Lake Placid 2 movie poster

Lake Placid 2

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Killer Crocodile 2 movie poster

Killer Crocodile 2

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Crocodile Fury movie poster

Crocodile Fury

1988
Killer Crocodile movie poster

Killer Crocodile

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Crocodile movie poster

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The Great Alligator movie poster

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Every angle

Crocodile (2000) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

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