Director Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D) returns to the genre with this 2019 nail-biting horror thriller “Crawl” that brings not just one but multiple challenges to the protagonists in forms of the forces of nature.

“Crawl” follows aspiring swimmer Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) who receives a call from her sister Beth who informs her that a hurricane is on its way to Florida and she should get out of the state. However, Beth asks Haley to check in on their father, Dave, who is probably stuck in his home because of the weather.

Here is the trailer for “Crawl”

As she fails to contact her father over the phone, Haley drives under the storm and later finds her father lying unconscious under the flooded basement. She soon realizes the cause of his condition, as the whole area is infested with big alligators. With incessant rain that starts flooding the basement, they both now must fight for their survival.

“Crawl” is one of those movies that from the very first look seems very basic yet has enough thrill and scare to keep you engaged till the very end. Moreover, the portrayal of the father-daughter relationship, the will of a daughter to go all out to save her father, further prompts us to feel for the characters.

Hurricane background goes well with killer-alligator in ‘Crawl’

The whole hurricane disaster background builds a strong set up that is later complemented with solid performances by the lead cast. Also, the use of several props, the claustrophobic atmosphere of a basement, the brutal and big gators (thanks to the good quality CGI effect) together makes the whole experience worth a watch.

While most of the part was at a good pace, the pause in the middle when the father and daughter try to address some of their unresolved issues in their relationship seems pointless. Some of us might say that this essential to solidify the characters, but the situation (probably) does not warrant such emotional relieving talk.

Nevertheless, the overall experience in the middle of brilliantly designed alligators and their brutal nature with those many terrifying scenes of attacks, make the film surprisingly good. We would definitely recommend you to watch this edge of the seat thriller.

“Crawl” Movie – Additional Details

Director: Alexandre Aja
Written by: Michael Rasmussen and Shawn Rasmussen
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, Barry Pepper
Genres: Suspense, Thriller, Horror, Disaster Horror
Release Date/Year: July 12, 2019
Now Streaming on Amazon Prime Video