Crawl (2019)

The critic finds Crawl a thrilling, emotionally resonant horror film, with a few shortcomings in its visuals and score. She especially praises Kaya Scodelario’s intense, memorable performance as its resourceful heroine.

Bitel finds the film thrillingly high-concept but ultimately forgettable. He praises its claustrophobic tension and escalating creature-feature stakes.

Lee finds Crawl a solid, crowd-pleasing horror film, though its family drama and emotional performances are weak. He praises Aja’s precise, suspenseful staging and effective sound design in the confined crawlspace.

DeFore gives the film a measured endorsement as brisk, entertaining schlock, despite implausible action and risible dialogue. He singles out Kaya Scodelario’s convincing grit and terror, especially in the underwater scenes.

The review text was inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be stated reliably. No specific praise or complaint can be confirmed from the available page.

Kohn finds the film an entertaining but by-the-book guilty pleasure with a simple environmental message. He praises its visual moments, especially a striking shot framing Haley between a gator’s jaws.

The critic finds the film a fun, economical thriller that falls short of go-for-broke invention. He praises its suspenseful use of improvised tools and setups, while faulting the sentimental father-daughter drama.

Matheou finds the film preposterous but highly satisfying and suspenseful. He praises the tension built from confined spaces and unseen threats, along with the conviction of the father-daughter leads.

Rothkopf presents it as a guilty-pleasure horror film. The father-and-daughter battle against alligators is the central appeal, with the hurricane also suggesting a climate-change-denial metaphor.

The review finds the film exciting and entertaining despite a script that veers between survival horror and creature-feature thrills. It praises the underwater cinematography and Kaya Scodelario’s energetic performance, while faulting some eye-roll-inducing moments.

White finds the film watchable but rarely thrilling, with its scares often substituting for substance. He praises Kaya Scodelario’s performance for bringing strength and occasional depth to her character.

Murray finds the film entertaining but undermined by weak storytelling and cluttered family drama. He praises the hurricane effects and images of destruction, while criticizing the confusing visual choreography.

Gleiberman finds the thriller watchable but monotonous, with little range and a story that leans too heavily on familiar Jaws-style scares. He praises the convincing alligator effects and the film’s grimy, claustrophobic funhouse atmosphere.

The critic calls the film an exhilarating, refreshing creature feature that delivers on its thrills. They particularly praise Kaya Scodelario’s committed, physically demanding performance.

The review calls Crawl a brilliant, highly entertaining creature feature. It praises Alexandre Aja’s precise staging and the frightening, convincing alligators.

The review finds Crawl a suspenseful, entertaining survival film whose exaggerated alligator action delivers on its promises. It praises the tense sequences created by murky water and rising floodwaters, while faulting the sentimental father-daughter dialogue.

The critic finds Crawl entertaining and brisk, though it takes its human drama too seriously and needs more gator mayhem. The creative visual compositions and Kaya Scodelario’s physical, empathetic performance stand out for praise.

Navarro calls it an entertaining, relentlessly intense creature feature, despite familiar elements and a final act that loses steam. She praises Aja’s nerve-fraying suspense and visceral alligator attacks.

The critic finds Crawl an enjoyable, well-timed creature feature with efficient thrills. They praise the performances of Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper, whose father-daughter pairing gives the film an emotional core.

The critic finds the film toothless and mediocre, despite its simple premise offering some modest thrills. They single out the convincing performances by Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper, along with the effective CGI alligators.