The Pest (1997): cast, story & where to watch
1997 · Film · ★ 4.6
Released in 1997, The Pest is an action and comedy film directed by R. Paul Miller, running about 82 minutes. “What kind of freakazoid would let someone hunt him just to collect $50,000? …Next question.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Fast-talking Latino con artist Pestario "Pest" Vargas is the target of Scottish mobsters to whom he owes a considerable debt. Willing to do anything to raise money and avoid severe injury or death, Vargas agrees to a very unusual job -- he will be transported to a remote island and hunted by Gustav Shank, a racist German executive. If he can survive a full day and night, Vargas gets $50,000 and will be set free. Is he wily enough to elude Shank?
Who’s in it. The Pest stars John Leguizamo as Pest, Jeffrey Jones as Gustav, Edoardo Ballerini as Himmel and Freddy Rodríguez as Ninja, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 4.6/10, The Pest has proved divisive with audiences. It went on to earn $3.6M at the box office.
Where to watch. In US you can rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Pest page.
If you liked it. Fans of The Pest tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch The Pest (1997)?
- In US, The Pest is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is The Pest worth watching?
- The Pest holds an audience score of 4.6 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy action and comedy. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in The Pest?
- The Pest stars John Leguizamo, Jeffrey Jones, Edoardo Ballerini, Freddy Rodríguez and Tammy Townsend.
- When was The Pest released?
- The Pest was released in 1997, with a runtime of about 82 minutes.