Crawl

I was stoked to see this movie as soon as I watched the trailer and even more stoked at getting to watch it the day before it came out (thank business manager for the heads up about the screening!)

It’s a fun disaster movie. I almost feel like the term “disaster movie” is misleading though, because it’s often used to refer to big-budget blockbusters with huge casts. As a film focused almost entirely on a father and daughter trapped in a house, it feels more like…well, what is a good way to describe it? Disaster movie on a micro level? Sure, my academic mind digs that label. The only other film I can think of in that genre is Robert Redford’s 2013 indie All Is Lost, another low-budget gem.

The use of sound and visual effects makes you feel like you’re there in the flood caused by “Hurricane Wendy”. More importantly, the direction and the use of editing make you feel like you’re trapped in the house with Haley and her dad. It’s a rare movie that combines three different distinct fears – fear of enclosed spaces, fear of drowning, and fear of alligators – and an even rarer one that does so effectively.

As far as the human story, while it’s a little clichéd and predictable it’s not bad at all. Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper play their parts well, there’s some good dialogue, and the connections to Haley’s childhood are surprisingly unforced.

Agree? Disagree? Feel free to comment.

Up Next: Another wet natural disaster movie.

Bottom line: Solid recommendation for a big screen viewing.