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Crawl
Starring Georgina Haig, George Shevtsov, Paul Holmes
Directed by Paul China



In the heart of Australia, shady bar owner Slim (Paul Holmes) hires a Croatian Stranger (George Shevtsov) to off one of his friends who has stiffed him in the past.  After completing this task, the Stranger sets his sights on Slim's waitress, Marilyn (Georgina Haig) for some reason.  What follows is a taunt, Hitchcock-style noir thriller as Marilyn and the Stranger face off at her home, and the horror really begins.

While watching this film I couldn't help but find connections to the Cohen Brothers films such as "Blood Simple" and especially "No Country for Old Men," especially with the Stranger, who hardly speaks throughout the film.  The story is simplistic as it is eerie, something that can happen anywhere at anytime, no matter where you live.  There wasn't a lot of dialogue, but rather director Paul China relied on atmosphere and mood to set the terrifying scene.  With nothing more than people walking without a hint of music, to a crescendo of old-school violin strings being plucked as in the olden days of thriller cinema.  Not really for most moviegoers, as it doesn't involve huge CGI effects or action every second, but for the noir enthusiast, you'll enjoy it, even if it would work a lot better as a short film.

Rating: B

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