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
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Crawl (2019)
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
BY MztrisMia nobody
Opening scenes... More rolled in and already had me laughing at the subtle and ironic wit thrown in from the name of the swim team to the Jaws car mirror ornament without pushing the limits of corniness the likes of the Producer's previous cult classic movie Evil Dead. Refreshingly it also featured lead characters who have not been over exposed, but were happily familiar faces.
Things I have learnt from these type of movies is - Dumb people do what dumb people do and get eaten, quite simple! In fact you might be safer in this situation with more dumb people around. Logic says don't enter flood waters with known gators around, and know your predator - fact these things can leap 3/4 of their body length out of water so do not linger over hatches. And Never, I repeat NEVER try to save the beloved family pet or get distracted by your cell phone.
There comes a point in many a movie when the CGI or death defying feats become unbelievable and the plot can push the boundaries too far...but the adrenaline rush which had me at times pushed back in my seat with anticipation, gave reprieve to breathe and seriously only added to the charm and bought back that feeling of old school JAWS epicness.
The usual cold air pumped into the cinema we complain about most nights spent at the movies, now became the extra dimension experience - complimenting and contributing to the feeling like you were actually in the dank, dark crawl space whose title now made sense. The close up angles and under water swim shoots took you on a roller coaster ride at every point in the journey.
And final mental note damn I need to invest in some better shower doors, as my old doors fall off at the drop of a hat and might save your life one day as many death scenes occur in showers.
I don't recall leaving a movie for quite some time where we drove home for 15 minutes excitedly comparing notes on a movie which pleasantly surprised and and had us giggling a little bit like teenagers reliving moments of a film we felt a tad embarrassed to have enjoyed.Hide
BY serryx0 nobody
Loved how there was soo much action and the storyline got straight to the point! It was an awesome twist on a disaster movie. Was not predictable or too cliché, and the father daughter storyline was unique also.
Loved how dramatic the attacking scenes were! Surprised how they didn't lose any limbs completely, just a few nibbles here and there. Absolutely loved the strong female lead! She was a winner.
Great acting all around. Would definitely recommend this movie to friends.
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BY Margaret-Joppa nobody
Straightforward thriller CRAWL blew way past my expectations by delivering tight, tense scenes of attempting to escape nature's worst. Not a dull moment in the film. The alligators are extremely well rendered and the gore is not over the top, but believable. The crawlspace beneath the house is exactly right! I have seen a few of Aja's films, and CRAWL was the most terrifying. 5 stars.
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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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