‘Crawl’ (2019) is The Must-See Film of the Summer!

I absolutely love Man Vs Nature type of films. They’re fun, entertaining, and often horrifying as you try to picture yourself in whatever situation that is happening. As soon as I heard about Crawl, I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into it. Killer alligators? Count me in. Nothing could be better for a Summer blockbuster hit.

From Paramount Pictures comes a new horror story directed by Alexandre Aja‘s (High Tension, The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D). It was co-written by the Rasmussen brothers, Michael and Shawn. Produced by Sam Raimi (The Evil Dead, Spider-Man 2), the cast stars Kaya Scodelario (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) and Barry Pepper (Green Mile).

Synopsis for Crawl

A young woman (Scodelario), while attempting to save her father during a Category 5 hurricane, finds herself trapped in a flooding house and must fight for her life against alligators.

This is the type of film that’s a must to see in theaters versus the comfort of your own home. It’s best viewed on the big screen, surrounded by people, so that you can witness their reactions to alligators chomping off body parts left and right. It’s tense from beginning to end with some light-hearted moments thrown in but just the right amount.

Kaya Scodelario recently starred with Zac Efron in Netflix’s Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, which received a lot of love among the masses. However, you almost wouldn’t recognize Scodelario in it as her character in Crawl is the complete opposite in every way. She delivers a strong leading performance and tackles each scene with emotional turmoil and bravery. Her character not only comes face to face with man-eating alligators but also has to learn to believe in herself despite the odds against her. Barry Pepper’s performance is equally phenomenal and badass. The chemistry between Scodelario and Pepper is perfect and effortless. You can feel the love and pain they’re both going through, and the need to keep eachother alive.

There’s non-stop gator action and that’s what I love most about this film. It’s the main focus of Crawl, with the father-daughter relationship playing second fiddle. When you go see a film like this you want to care about the characters to a certain extent, but most importantly you want action, mayhem, and mangled body parts everywhere and this film delivers on all aspects.

Final Thoughts

Crawl is one of my new favorite Nature vs Man films in a long time. For me, it’s right up there with Lake Placid, and I look forward to having double feature nights in the future with both. It’s fun, incredibly tense, and doesn’t take itself too seriously. I’d be lying if I didn’t say I was at the edge of my seat during most of the film and that’s when I know a film is good. Alexandre Aja and the Rasmussen brothers make a great team and I’m glad he brought their story to life so that fans could sink their teeth into this Summer treat. Go see Crawl in theaters, you won’t be disappointed!