If you enjoy reading my Spoiler-Free reviews, please follow my blog :) 2018 was disappointing; I didn’t get many pleasant surprises and felt let down by several anticipated movies. 2019 has been different, though. Most of the big releases have really resonated with me, becoming some of my favorite films so far (Avengers: Endgame, John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum, Us, Glass). I’ve also found myself enjoying smaller, less expensive films, even if they aren't perfect (Greta, Long Shot). However, there were some misses too (Dark Phoenix, Hellboy, Godzilla: King of the Monsters). Crawl, which I honestly expected to be a predictable and silly horror movie, has ended up in that last group, and it’s currently the best surprise of 2019, at least until something else comes along. It doesn't really fit into the typical horror mold, especially when compared to recent examples. People might expect something like Annabelle Comes Home, but with alligators; I would advise against that expectation. I wouldn’t even classify it as horror, though disaster-horror isn’t a bad description. It’s more of a suspense movie, almost a survival thriller. Haley and Dave have to fight for their lives in a race against both a hurricane and dangerous predators, so I don't really consider this a horror film. I like films like this, you know that. Suspenseful scenes, a straightforward plot, and set primarily in one location—that’s my kind of thing. You might think it would be easier to make something with just one place to shoot and such a simple idea, but the opposite is true. With big-budget movies involving many locations, filmmakers can often cover up technical problems with special effects or elaborate sets. But when you're limited to one location, especially a small one like a modest house, there’s nowhere to hide. To create an entertaining and engaging story, you need a strong script. If you want scary jump scares, you have to be creative and show that you’re a skilled filmmaker. Alexandre Aja, who doesn't have the most impressive filmography, demonstrates that even with a simple idea, it’s possible to create something as fun or more fun than a massive blockbuster. Less than 20 minutes in, and the movie really takes off. There’s enough background information and character development of the main protagonist so that the audience cares about Haley and understands what skills she has to help her survive. I appreciate small details like seeing her lock a door, close a window, or move furniture—each shot has meaning because it will affect what happens later. Aja isn’t just shooting things randomly; that's a skill many directors seem to lack these days since they feel the runtime needs to be near two hours. After watching so many horror movies this year with dumb, clichéd, and poorly acted jump scares, I finally found one where the director knows how to genuinely scare people and make them jump out of their seats. There’s no loud music just for the sake of it, and there aren't any monsters screaming in front of the screen. I was on edge several times, and I actually got scared during some moments—the surprise factor (Aja doesn’t follow the predictable timing of most horror scenes) and the creativity behind the camera were really impressive. Of course, the special effects and overall production design aren't groundbreaking. The alligators look realistic enough, which was the main goal, so that worked out well. Also, the film being Rated-R allows for some great alligator attacks with plenty of blood, and the injuries our characters have to deal with are pretty intense (that’s a compliment). Filming in water is difficult, especially in such a confined space. Still, Aja and his crew managed to create a movie that's easy to follow throughout. Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper give great performances and their chemistry is excellent. Their characters have enough development, even with a fairly straightforward script. Crawl is one of those films where I can’t really find any major problems with it because it excels in every area. Sure, there are a few moments that stretch believability—we might think “he or she should be dead”—but the movie is so much fun and entertaining that we can overlook those occasional over-the-top scenes. It's not like The Meg, where everything feels completely unrealistic. A fiction film’s ability to suspend disbelief depends on a solid foundation of realism; if those limits aren’t established, then the film will feel all over the place, and viewers won’t know what to believe. Overall, Crawl is one of 2019's best surprises, and I definitely recommend seeing it in theaters. With compelling leads and a simple concept, Alexandre Aja delivers an entertaining, suspenseful, claustrophobic, and technically creative movie. Finally, someone who knows how to handle a camera and create genuinely scary jump scares. Hopefully, this will lead to bigger roles for Kaya Scodelario in more significant films. I can’t point out any flaws; it's simply a good movie. With such a small budget, give this one a chance instead of another massive blockbuster that will probably leave you disappointed with the predictable cliches and the focus on silly action or elaborate sets as a substitute for a good story. Good job, Paramount! Rating: B+

Source on TMDB