--- title: "Crawl: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/crawl/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/crawl" critics_score: 64 critics_reviews: 20 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Crawl (2019): what the critics said Critics' score 64 from 20 reviews: 10 positive, 6 mixed, 4 negative. The reviews lean towards a qualified endorsement of Crawl as a brisk, suspenseful creature feature. Praise clusters around Alexandre Aja’s staging of confined spaces, rising water and alligator attacks, with several critics finding that the simple survival premise supplies enough tension to outweigh implausible action. Kaya Scodelario’s physically committed performance is a frequent strength, even among detractors, while the creature effects and underwater sequences also attract approval. The spread is wide, however, and the father-daughter drama is a recurring point of disagreement. Several critics find it sentimental or distracting, whereas Vulture finds emotional resonance and Film Stories credits the central pairing with giving the film an emotional core. The larger divide concerns how much its efficient scares deliver: enthusiasts welcome the directness, but Variety finds the familiar shocks monotonous, and other less favourable reviews fault weak storytelling, confusing action or a shortage of invention. ## Vulture — Angelica Jade Bastién Fi1m's normalised score 90/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 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. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2019/07/crawl-2019-review.html) ## Little White Lies — Anton Bitel Rating 3/4/3. 21 August 2019. Bitel finds the film thrillingly high-concept but ultimately forgettable. He praises its claustrophobic tension and escalating creature-feature stakes. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/crawl) ## The Guardian — Benjamin Lee Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/12/crawl-review-alexandre-aja-horror-film) ## The Hollywood Reporter — John DeFore Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 11 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/crawl-1223999/) ## The New York Times — Jeannette Catsoulis Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2019. The review text was inaccessible, so its verdict cannot be stated reliably. No specific praise or complaint can be confirmed from the available page. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/12/movies/crawl-review.html) ## IndieWire — Eric Kohn Rating C+. 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/crawl-review-killer-gators-1202157423/) ## Slant Magazine — Steven Scaife Rating 2.5/4. 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/crawl-review-alexandre-aja/) ## Evening Standard — Demetrios Matheou Rating 3/5. 23 August 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/crawl-review-snappy-monster-horror-that-doesnt-stint-on-the-gore-a4219926.html) ## Time Out — Joshua Rothkopf Rating 3/5. 15 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/crawl-1) ## Total Film — Matt Glasby Rating 3/5. 22 August 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/crawl-review-2019/) ## Empire — James White Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 19 August 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/crawl/) ## Los Angeles Times — Noel Murray Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 11 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-crawl-review-20190711-story.html) ## Variety — Owen Gleiberman Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 11 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2019/film/reviews/crawl-review-jaws-1203265165/) ## Den of Geek — Patrick Sproull Rating 4/5. 23 August 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/crawl-review-a-creature-feature-with-teeth/) ## Paste — Cole Henry Rating 8.0/10. 17 July 2019. The review calls Crawl a brilliant, highly entertaining creature feature. It praises Alexandre Aja’s precise staging and the frightening, convincing alligators. [Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/crawl/crawl) ## Polygon — Petrana Radulovic Fi1m's normalised score 78/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/2019/7/12/20690919/crawl-movie-review/) ## /Film — Chris Evangelista Rating 7 out of 10. 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/567652/crawl-review/) ## Consequence — Meagan Navarro Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2019/07/film-review-crawl/) ## Film Stories — Mark Harrison Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 20 August 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/crawl-review/) ## The Wrap — William Bibbiani Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 12 July 2019. 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. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/crawl-film-review-kaya-scodelario-alexandre-aja/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/crawl.md