Crawl

Shot in Serbia, this American film, two-thirds of which is set in the basement of an old house, is better than average. Despite its B-movie subject matter, it does not look cheap and offers very solid CGI with animals that do not appear to be digitally generated. Starting with the opening credits, director Alexandre Aja does not squander a single minute and constantly portions out information about the characters and the relationships between them, which later proves to be opportune (almost all of the characters and objects encountered by the female protagonist during the brisk exposition are utilised just as economically). The protagonists are not just walking hunks of meat for the alligators. We understand their motivations and cheer them on, and we comprehend where, despite all of the scars, they find in themselves the strength to grit their teeth and face danger. The overcoming of family trauma is skilfully connected with the eco-horror plot also thanks to the fact that the house where most of the events take place brings the heroine’s childhood, and thus her father’s failure, to light. Its flooding with water (thanks to which Halley can show what works best for her) and its gradual disintegration thus represents an inevitable part of “family therapy”. It is true that the story faulters during longer dialogues, the characters are far too clichéd and, given the R-rating, I would have expected more scenes in which alligators tear people to pieces, but when it reminds us in its entertaining and undemanding way that if we want to survive, we should mainly respect nature, then it works nicely. 65% (10/07/2019)

Quentin Tarantino declared Crawl to be his favorite movie this year and I understand why. The simple story of a swimmer/daughter in a flood zone in Florida looking for her dad whom she can’t get in touch with has more to it than it seems at the beginning. Although this tense horror chase movie with a dramatic foundation comprising the dad/daughter relationship turns into a classic B-movie in the end, the heroes aren’t dumb and are played well (with Kaya Scodelario giving an unbelievable performance), and there are abundant bloody surprises. (06/11/2019)

Nobody wanted Aja to make Jaws with a crocodile, but… This mess, which is neither serious and suspenseful enough to be, well, "serious", nor is it stupid and over-the-top enough to work at least as guilty pleasure (such moments are, unfortunately, very rare), is nothing more than a genre dullard seen hundreds of times without any charge, idea or adrenaline. (10/07/2019)

Crawl has a nice digital setting and, in the second half, a decent build-up of suspense and unpredictable use of the limited stage. Given the seemingly transparent plot that involves a skillful swimmer and her relationship with her father that needs to be healed, it turned out to be quite a profoundly written and directed survival-horror movie. It’s a half-star more enjoyable than the similarly themed The Shallows. (27/08/2019)

A suspenseful horror film about two heroes who find themselves trapped in a basement with hungry alligators during a hurricane. Clever and interesting characters, well built tension and some pretty gritty scenes make Crawl a very fine genre entertainment. Too bad it turns from horror to action B-movie at the end. (13/07/2019)