Crawl

Crawl

Starring Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper, Ross Anderson, Moryfydd Clark

Directed by Alexandre Aja

The Story:
Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) is a swimming prodigy, but is excessively hard on herself due to her strict upbringing by her coach father Dave (Barry Pepper), and by her own desire to be the best.  After practice, she learns from her sister Beth (Moryfydd Clark) that her father hasn't answered her calls, and there's a Category Five hurricane heading for his home.  Haley decides to travel to his house to see if he's alright, and finds him unconscious and bleeding in the basement.

Soon she discovers why - a group of alligators have found their way into the home, and as the hurricane intensifies, Haley and her father find themselves in a desperate struggle for survival not just against the elements, but the creatures that are more than willing to be patient for their next meal.

The Synopsis:
Every summer there seems to be a creature feature that centers on creatures from the deep, but mostly just sharks - including Blake Lively's "The Shallows," Mandy Moore's "47 Meters Down," and last year's shtick-induced "The Meg."  For 2019, sharks have taken a backseat to one of the world's biggest apex predators, a species that's existed since the K-T extinction and has endured centuries of changes while maintaining their unstoppable killing capabilities, the alligator (although crocodiles are also included in that definition, at least according to "Archer").

What these creature films (sans "The Meg") have in common - besides humans fighting against water creatures - is that each of these movies focuses on a very small cast to elevate the concept of fear and isolation.  Blake Lively pretty much solely starred in "The Shallows," while Mandy Moore and Claire Holt shared screentime in "47 Meters Down," and hardly anyone else appeared in either film.  "Crawl" follows that tradition by focusing almost exclusively on its two main leads, and when you add in a claustrophobic setting of a basement slowly filling with water, you've got the makings of a film that can either be unintentionally cheesy or absolutely nail-biting, and it all boils down to its stars.

Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper appeared together in the last two "Maze Runner" films, and return to co-star in "Crawl," directed by Alexandre Aja, who directed other bloody gorefests "The Hills Have Eyes" and fellow water creature feature "Pirahna 3D."  The two already have a rapport together, and manage to elevate the film to the nail-biting thriller Aja set it out to be, and any cheesy moments are purposefully included to give the characters a more well-rounded sense of self.  Scodelario's Haley and Pepper's Dave have had a very hostile past as daughter and father, and neither have spoken to another for a long time, until Haley sees why her father hasn't been answering her sister's calls, and finds him at the mercy of killer alligators who found their way to his home through a water basin during one of the biggest hurricanes of the season.

It's no surprise Haley is a champion swimmer, as if this film centered on any regular person who's only spent time at the pool during parties, then it would've been over in about ten minutes.  Using her swimming prowess to her gain, Haley manages to outwit and outswim the alligators that stalk her as she searches for help for both herself and her father, even though she constantly is attacked by the alligators (and somehow manages to escape with only a few mild scrapes and scratches that doesn't seem to hinder her athletic capabilities).  As the two find ways to outmaneuver their intelligent predators, we see how a few hapless others fare against the same creatures (obvious hint: not so well).  Those outside moments provide some dark laughs and are obviously included to amp up the kill count and bring forth some of the blood and gore Aja is best known for, and doesn't feel padded or needless.

Kaya Scodelario plays Haley as a no-nonsense warrior - or, as she puts it herself in the movie, the "apex predator" - as she seems unfazed by the alligators around her, and sees them more as a nuisance than killers.  She provides some truly humorous moments as well as showcasing extreme action prowess and determination, making her someone you definitely want on your team against a gang of alligators.  Likewise, Barry Pepper's Dave is as no-nonsense as his headstrong daughter, even though enduring an alligator bite that would've ended any normal person, as he firmly believes that they will survive against those "pea-brained lizards."  These characters endure hell on earth as they try to make it out alive, and withstands extreme attacks that - once again - would've left a normal person dead a long time ago.  Yet that's what's enjoyable about creature films like this, where you feel like you too could survive such an encounter, but also knowing you'll probably never find yourself in that situation so you can just sit back and enjoy as it happens to someone else.

Besides the actors in a film like this, it can only be successful by the creatures they supply.  The alligators here are terrifying and tremendous, filling up the screen with their epic nastiness and pure lust for blood.  They're fearless, they're intelligent, and they won't stop until they catch the prey they're seeking.  The effects make them look very realistic, and thankfully the CGI doesn't make them look like a cheap SyFy knockoff.  Also thankfully, there's no alligators jumping out of the water to attack an airplane (yes, that does happen in a certain SyFy Channel original).  It's human versus creature, and the odds are definitely 50/50, but it's 100% entertaining and thrilling - everything a creature feature should be.

The Summary:
With a shorter runtime that keeps the film crisp and tight, "Crawl" is another creature feature summer hit that's heightened by its two main stars and provides a non-stop thrill ride that'll keep you on the edge of your seat.

The Score: A