This Cult Hit 2019 Horror Film Still Has Us Terrified of Alligators

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As a gamer, I can’t help but feel a rush of adrenaline just thinking about the movie “Crawl” that’s airing on SYFY this month. This father-daughter duo finds themselves in a heart-pounding survival story as they’re trapped and hunted by alligators, all while a hurricane rages in Florida. If you’re looking for a suspenseful horror flick to get your pulse racing, be sure to check out the schedule on SYFY and don’t miss “Crawl”!

As a university swimmer on scholarship at the University of Florida (I wonder what their mascot is), Haley Keller (Kaya Scodelario) appears unfazed by the impending Category 5 hurricane, but her calm demeanor changes when she receives a worried call from her sister. Their father, who lives alone and has been keeping his family at a distance while healing emotionally post-divorce, can’t be reached. Concerned for his wellbeing, Haley decides to brave the storm and drive there to ensure he is safe and prepared.

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Claustrophobia bites: Gators lurk around every creepy corner in Crawl

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Barry Pepper portrays Dave, Haley’s father, who had previously encouraged her to excel in swimming but whose methods diverged from Haley’s own aspirations. In scenes set in the past, he appears as a fiercely supportive dad, shouting coaching advice at young Haley from the poolside. He often reminded her that she was an “apex predator,” a term that takes on additional significance as the narrative unfolds.

Haley and Dave are not estranged; they’ve grown apart: Still holding affection for her father, she aims to locate him before a looming storm strikes land. With no trace of Dave at his bachelor condo, she presumes he’s likely at their former coastal home – the place where the family resided together prior to their divorce. After picking up Dave’s dog, Haley heads straight for that house… one that lies smack in the path of the approaching hurricane.

In the film “Crawl“, it’s not just terrible weather that poses a threat, as Haley discovers when she finds her father injured and unconscious in a dirty crawl space beneath their house. It seems something large has attacked him, and when he regains consciousness, his news is alarming: Aided by the rising tide of the approaching hurricane, an alligator has managed to enter the basement of their home, thanks to an unsecured storm grate.

Dave is currently injured and unable to ascend the stairs in the crawl space, while Haley, having had an early and rather frightening encounter with an alligator, is now also bitten and pretending to be hurt. Trapped behind the staircase, safe from the giant alligator, they soon discover with dread that their unwelcome guest has summoned a whole group of its alligator companions.

In the movie Crawl, we find ourselves trapped with Haley and her father in a narrow, flooding crawl space for most of the film’s 87 minutes. They are being pursued by dangerous gators as the water continues to rise. This harrowing situation forces them to confront their family’s past, which has been strained, due to the very real threat that they might not survive this ordeal.

As an enthusiast, I can’t help but be drawn into the thrilling chaos as Haley and Dave engage in their intense, ear-piercing reptile battles across the confined space. The narrative twists and turns, with them either clearly communicating or oblivious to each other’s impending peril, adding an extra layer of tension. Despite the limited camera angles that immerse us deeply into their claustrophobic predicament, it’s almost forgivable in a film where snarling, ravenous alligators seem to lurk around every corner.

Although there are scenes where an alligator swarm appears to be feeding ferociously, causing a chilling effect, it’s important to note that no real alligators were harmed during the filming of Crawl. Director Alexandre Aja (known for movies like Horns, The Hills Have Eyes, and Piranha 3D) skillfully combined practical effects and computer-generated imagery to depict every menacing predator in the movie, with the exception of Haley’s character. After watching this horror film, you might think twice about venturing into a Florida swamp during a hurricane!

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2025-07-02 20:46