Crawl (2019)
(2019)A young woman trapped in a flooding house during a Category 5 Florida hurricane must battle against alligators in this horror from Alexandre Aja (Piranha 3D, Horns).
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Directed by Alexandre Aja ('Piranha 3D', 'The Hills Have Eyes (2006)', 'Horns')
Starring Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, Ross Anderson, George Somner, Anson Boon, Ami Metcalf, Jose Palma, Morfydd Clark
Written by Alexandre Aja, Michael Rasmussen, Shawn Rasmussen
Flicks Review
BY Aaron Yap Flicks Writer
With each passing year, Jaume Collett-Sera’s dexterous, exquisitely kinetic shark thriller The Shallows looks more and more like a benchmark for how good a modern-day Jaws-styled creature feature can be. Alexandre Aja’s Crawl fundamentally operates in the same zone: a modestly budgeted studio counter-programmer, supplying a much-needed gasp of air from the oppressive maw of tentpole franchises.... More
If it isn’t as moment-to-moment sublime as The Shallows, it is comparatively nimble in approach, milking a tried-and-true formula for all its visceral, pulpy worth. You want big alligators attacking people? You’ll definitely get big alligators attacking the shit out of people.
Some clunky patches aside, mostly involving terrible expository dialogue and exteriors that look like recycled green-screen vomit from The Hurricane Heist, Crawl is unrepentantly goosed-up nature-goes-nuts mayhem when it gets fired up. Alexandre Aja is a generally spotty genre specialist, but this might be his tightest, most focused effort since Haute Tension. Clearly stoked to have at his disposal, the handsomest all-CGI gators to ever grace the big screen, Aja stages the setpieces with economically vicious glee, juggling claustrophobic disaster-movie suspense and merciless bouts of bloodthirsty reptilian chomping into a beer-guzzling blast of survival horror.
Kaya Scodelario doesn’t possess the magnetic star power of Blake Lively to sell some of the film’s cornier moments, but makes a respectable, spirited play for lead heroine archetype, her lithe athleticism ably fulfilling a physically demanding role that wedges her into damp, cramped spaces for long periods of time.
If nothing else, Crawl will look nice on the shelf next to your cherished Lake Placid DVD.Hide
The Peoples' Reviews
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Crawl (2019)
BY baylyr lister
BY ratty nobody
BY FlickerJoe wannabe
Believe the hype, this movie is just what it claims to be. A chilly thriller that happens mostly in a flooded basement, it's very location-based, more Deep Blue Sea than Jaws - like Jurassic Park if they were a park full of crocodiles instead of dinosaurs. Efficiently acted by Kaya Scodelario with support from Barry Pepper.
BY Krustybob5 nobody
You've probably seen your share of predatory-critter horrors that crank the silliness up to 11 and slide down to forgettably naff. Maybe you've seen some that take themselves too seriously and somehow come out more ridiculous. In Crawl, director Alexandre Aja flexes his ability to balance these genre poles: the laughs you're looking for come at the same time as (or maybe one second after) the gasps of shock. Enjoy!
BY Alan-Parr lister
Showing 5 of 22 reviews. See all reviews
The Press Reviews
Guilty of revealing its reptile a little too early, Crawl finds itself struggling to stifle audience titters as it attempts to keep lifting the thrills to new heights. Full Review
...an enjoyable swampy romp... Full Review
Accepting the film's own standard of plausibility, thrillseekers should appreciate the brisk pace with which scares, setbacks and possible escapes are delivered. Full Review
When it's really working - which is only about half the time - "Crawl" is an efficient and clever environmental adventure picture, set in a nice old house where suddenly nothing is safe. Full Review
"Crawl" has no pretense and not very much range; it's "Jaws" set in an old dark house. Full Review
Alexandre Aja's Crawl is a fun monster movie that relentlessly preys on humans' most primal fears. Full Review
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