I’ve seen reviews that claim Crawl does the same for alligators as Jaws did for sharks back in the day. Even before I saw it, I kind of wondered how that could be. Jaws isn’t just about a general fear of sharks – it’s brilliant at making you imagine yourself in that scenario. It makes you acutely aware of how vulnerable you are when you’re in the water.
The scenario in Crawl is far more specific. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never really had to worry about being trapped in the middle of a category 5 hurricane and surrounded by killer gators.
Not that it wouldn’t be terrifying, but it’s not a fear that translates as broadly or effectively as Jaws does. So no, Crawl isn’t Jaws – but it doesn’t have to be Jaws to be good.
Haley (Kaya Scodelario) is a likeable main character. The opening effectively communicates her competitive spirit and her strained relationship with her father (who was also her swimming coach). These early scenes also build tension quite nicely, as the looming threat of the hurricane escalates in the background.
It’s when the killer gators actually show up and trap Haley and her father Dave (Barry Pepper) that Crawl slows down to a, well, you know.
For one, the gators don’t take long to get really up close and personal. We go from a tail menacingly slithering in the background to a full on reveal way too quick.
Instead of being afraid of the monstrous predator lurking in the basement, I found myself immediately scrutinising the special effects and breaking the illusion for myself. The special effects are fine, but Crawl puts them to the test with way too soon.
The middle section also drags because of the unnecessary inclusion of bodycount characters. You know the ones – minor characters that only exist to die and show off how deadly the monster is?
There’s no tension to these scenes, since a) we don’t know or care about the fate of non-characters and b) they’re obviously going to die. It’s just filler.
Haley and Dave are the ones worth caring about. They’re the ones you want to see survive this ordeal and reconnect as a family. The script gives them just enough to work with and Scodelario and Pepper rise to the task.
Haley does have a couple of dumb moments – gee, should I wait until I’m in safe place before I try calling for help on my cell phone? Nah, this spot right there where I’m vulnerable to gator attacks is perfect. It’s hardly infuriating, but it is a cheap way to get a few extra scares – because again, you’re expecting it when a character makes a stupid decision.
Crawl really picks up in its final stretch, where it just goes all out on dumb monster movie thrills. It’s not scary, but it sure is fun. The house floods completely, there’s gators everywhere – it’s all very immediate and urgent, unlike the slow middle part.
The ending is enjoyably bonkers, right down to the perfectly silly choice for the end credits song. If the rest of Crawl was as willing to just cut loose and have fun with the premise, I’d wholeheartedly recommend it. There are flashes of brilliance before the ending kicks in (Haley’s first gator kill is great), but that’s all they are – flashes.
As it stands, Crawl is fine. Not worth going out of your way to watch, but if you do see it, odds are you’ll have a decent time.
Crawl is out in cinemas August 23rd.