The Pest
“What kind of freakazoid would let someone hunt him just to collect $50,000?...Next question.”
Synopsis
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?
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
The Pest Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2015-01-12
Top Cast
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John Leguizamo
Pest
Jeffrey Jones
Gustav
Edoardo Ballerini
Himmel
Freddy Rodríguez
Ninja
Tammy Townsend
Xantha Kent
Aries Spears
Chubby
Joe Morton
Mr. Kent
Charles Hallahan
Angus
Tom McCleister
Leo
Ivonne Coll
Gladyz
Pat Skipper
Glen Livitt
Jorge Luis Abreu
Piercer
Jennifer Broughton
Bank Employee
Yau-Gene Chan
Cook
Judyann Elder
Mrs. Kent
Paul Harris
Karaoke Singer
Joe Jokubeit
Laphroig
David Bar Katz
White Guy
Release History & Theatrical Window
February 7, 1997
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$17M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$3.6M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.21x
-$13.4M deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Paul Miller
- Screenplay & Story
- David Bar Katz
- Original Score
- Kevin Kiner
- Original Title
- The Pest
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 22m
- Production Budget
- $17M
- Worldwide Gross
- $3.6M
- Production Studios
- The Bubble Factory, TriStar Pictures
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Paul Miller
David Bar Katz, Richard Connell, John Leguizamo
Kevin Kiner
Roy H. Wagner
Ross Albert, David Rawlins
Sid Sheinberg, Bill Sheinberg, Jonathan Sheinberg, Robert Papazian
Department Leadership Roster
Paul Miller
Director
David Bar Katz
Screenplay
Kevin Kiner
Original Music Composer
Ross Albert
Editor
David Rawlins
Editor
Roy H. Wagner
Director of Photography
Sid Sheinberg
Producer
Bill Sheinberg
Producer
Jonathan Sheinberg
Producer
Rodger Maus
Production Design
Tom McKinley
Costume Design
Norman Howell
Stunt Coordinator
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
PG-13: Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Suitable only for 12 years and over.
Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Pest.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Pest.
Mid Hunting List
A list of mids found by Mid Hunters
Now Showing at Cain Cinema
Cain Cinema features a 4K UHD picture on a 120" (16:9) screen, and a 7.2.4 Dolby Atmos audio experience.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Pest
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Pest 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 directed The Pest?
The Pest was directed by Paul Miller.
Who stars in The Pest?
The principal cast of The Pest includes John Leguizamo, Jeffrey Jones, Edoardo Ballerini, Freddy Rodríguez, Tammy Townsend.
When was The Pest released and how long is it?
The Pest was released in 1997 with a total runtime of 1h 22m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Pest?
The Pest had a reported production budget of $17M and grossed $3.6M at the worldwide box office (0.21 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Pest?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Pest was composed by Kevin Kiner.
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Pest?
The Pest holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: 12 (Suitable only for 12 years and over.); US: PG-13 (Parents Strongly Cautioned — May contain intense action, language, or mature themes.).