After an African dinosaur ancestor of the crocodile is found, Dr. Campbell uses its DNA to create prototypes at Paula Kennedy's Gereco lab.
After an African dinosaur ancestor of the crocodile is found, Dr. Campbell uses its DNA to create prototypes at Paula Kennedy's Genetic Research Co. (Gereco) lab. However one must be put down after killing someone, another escapes and the information is kept from sheriff Harper. His daughter, county dog catcher Diane Harper, helps her ex (welding artist Tom Banning) with his kid brother Michael's beloved dog. They bump into Campbell and discover the dinocroc is growing, having escaped down a tunnel. Although Gereco hires Australian crocodile specialist and intrepid hunter, Richard 'Dick' Sydney, the beast proves impervious to bullets, so the body count rises alarming.—KGF Vissers
After a botched attempt to make a profit, the greedy Gereco Genetic Research Corporation accidentally gives birth to a ferocious part-crocodile, part-dinosaur hybrid that devours a helpless assistant before escaping. Now, as the mutated living fossil starts to take a liking to the succulent human flesh, it's up to the Australian crocodile hunter, Dick Sydney; scientist, Paula Kennedy; Sheriff Harper, and his daughter, Diane, to stop the scaly beast that has taken refuge in the nearby Grants Lake. But, soon, the prehistoric creature will grow to full size. Is there a way to destroy the unstoppable Dinocroc?—Nick Riganas
A large carnivorous dinosaur from the Cretaceous period of Northern Africa, with a head resembling one of a crocodilian, is found which could grow up to 50 feet long. Dr. Campbell (Bruce Weitz) uses its DNA with a modern-day crocodile to create two hybrids of it at Paula Kennedy's Genetic Research Co. (Gereco) lab. One creature kills Dr. Campbell's assistant and the other creature before escaping. This information is kept from Sheriff Harper (Napier) by Kennedy, stating the dead creature killed Campbell's assistant. His daughter, county dog catcher Diane Harper, helps her ex-welding artist, Tom Banning, and his 12-year-old brother Michael Banning (Jake Thomas) find their three-legged dog, Lucky, who was lost a few days earlier.
Meanwhile, Kennedy sends a trapper to feed the Dinocroc (the animal still being on Gereco Property). The trapper uses Lucky as bait, but Lucky runs away and the Dinocroc quickly kills the trapper soon after. Later in the morning Diane and Tom find Lucky running around in the woods and try to catch him, unaware that the Dinocroc is lurking nearby, but Dr. Campbell saves them by shooting at it. Kennedy then hires an Australian crocodile hunter, Dick Sydney (Costas Mandylor), to help kill the Dinocroc after it is discovered to have killed two hunters in the woods (leaving behind one of their guns). Later that night, Michael sneaks out to look for Lucky when he witnesses the creature. The Dinocroc chases Michael through the forest into a tool shed situated on a dock above the water. Dinocroc then gets under the shed (tearing the dock to pieces in the process) and kills Michael from below, leaving only his head.
The next day, not having noticed that Michael has gone, Tom, Diane, Dick and Campbell find that the creature is headed toward the town's lakeside beach. It kills three people, the last one being Campbell. In a press conference after the incident, Kennedy lies that Campbell was not part of Gereco. Sheriff Harper then plans to kill the creature with his police force and Diane. While looking for it, they stumble upon Michael's damaged bike and Michael's remains in the ruined shed. Tom, who knows Michael is missing, appears on his motorbike and then speeds away after seeing what is left of his dead brother. After trying to get drunk, Tom cries loudly over his brother and is met by Dick Sydney who is also there to unwind. Sydney explains to Tom how a crocodile killed his son and that is the reason he hunts them. Diane also arrives to comfort Tom along with Lucky. Meanwhile, five of Sheriff Harper's officers are brutally killed by the Dinocroc while searching the swamp for the cause; their mutilated remains found shortly after.
The next day, Tom, Diane and others devise a plan to trap the Dinocroc in a tunnel and gas him to death. Sheriff Harper uses some dogs for bait, which Diane and Tom immediately object to, so Harper has them handcuffed and put in the police car. The two manage to escape and use a blowtorch to release the chained dogs while the creature chases them. They trap the Dinocroc in the tunnel and gas him, seemingly killing it.
While a local news crew is taping Kennedy (who arrived after the creature's death) inside the tunnel, telling the reporter false stories about the events, the Dinocroc awakens; it then kills Kennedy and comes after Tom and Diane, who are left after the news crew drives away quickly in terror. After hiding under a truck, they hear a train and lure the Dinocroc across the tracks. It is rammed by a passing train, followed by Tom stabbing it in the eye to the brain with a small pipe as revenge for Michael's death. As the sun rises the next day, Diane and Tom drive away, contemplating leaving for a vacation together just to get away for a while. Then the camera pans slowly back as their truck passes and a second Dinocroc is seen walking weakly across the road.
