CRAWL (2019)

Directed By: Alexandre Aja 
Written By: Michael Rasmussen & Shawn Rasmussen 
 Cinematography: Maxime Alexandre 
Editor: Elliot Greenberg 

Cast: Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, Morfyyd Clark, Ross Anderson, Ami Metcalf, Jose Palma, George Sommer 


A young woman, while attempting to save her father during a category 5 hurricane, finds herself trapped in a flooding house and must fight for her life against alligators.

This is an exciting thriller that is short even if the beginning that helps set the characters sorry feels a little long and hokey. As you know it will feed into the film eventually. As the film becomes more of a creature feature after a while.

At first you believe it will be her and her father against one supreme alligator and then you realize there are two then practically a pack of them. So the stakes keep being raised as well as having to deal with the surmounting natural elements during this hurricane they are dealing with becomes more and more of a survival tale.

As usual Alexandre Aja shows his talents for building tension and giving the audience thrills and a particular fetishization for gore and blood shed. That he treats matter of factory but seems to like to indulge in.

You know most of the other characters are only there to become victims and in shockingly brutal set pieces. So anytime you see them it is almost like a distraction from the main characters. You also know it will be a true horror scene.

A cut above the rest the film fulfills more than it’s promise. As it seems simple but the filmmaking is truly something to be impressed by. As it does it’s best to keep you interested and invested in the film and make you feel like you are there.

This is definitely a film that is best watched on the biggest screen you can find and with the best speakers. This is something not to be watched on a small screen. As you Lose the spirit and strength of the film. Which while being a popcorn film wants to immerse you into it and is the best way to experience the film.

One of the only nitpicks I have with the film. Are some spotty obvious CGI that is more annoying then anything else.

While it does have a certain intensity. The film is more of a film to be experienced. As anytime it goes more into the characters and their backstories the film feels lost or more like a film breaking us off from the experience. As it’s Understandable to a point why it is there to help us build a relationship and sympathy with the characters to root for them. Here it feels so standard and a little schmaltzy That it feels a bit misplaced.

Which seems like an extreme nightmare come to life. As it is a story that seems like it would never happen but feels familiar. As it feels like a news story that is so crazy it has to be true and you can see yourself in. Yet pray you never do. As it is more a force of nature and primal law then something one person can control. Which is most of our collective fears. Not being in control. Naturally we will fight against it to gain control or at least make sense if it all, to get us to safety and survival. But it’s that randomness that keeps building beyond our control that scares us. 

Kaya Scodelario Grows into her role as the lead of being the tough survivor. Who along the way Tries to mend the relationship with her father. She is a welcome on screen presence.

Grade: B