Secret Unlimited Screening 12 – Crawl

I’m not sure if you know the drill about what happens at a Cineworld Unlimited Secret Screening.  Those of us who have unlimited passes can book screenings for unreleased films.  Most of which are announced and I try and get to as many of them as possible as usually, the films are fine; there is the odd dud but its a great way to get me to see something outside of my usual milieux.

The secret screenings are mostly the same.  It’s just you don’t know what you will end up seeing. This can work to your advantage or not. Generally, I like the surprise – but it helps to have low expectations if you go in expecting to see the latest blockbuster you will be sorely disappointed. Cineworld does a great job of hyping, encouraging people to guess and I’ve never yet been right. 

Anyway, Crawl. Directed by Alexandre Aja; starring Kaya Scodelario and Barry Pepper its part monster movie, part disaster film and it has many Alligators. If you have seen a trailer then you will know what to expect. If you haven’t Kaya Scodelario plays Haley a college swimmer for the Florida Gators. She has issues with her Dad and ex-coach played by Barry Pepper. A category five hurricane is coming and Dad is incommunicado so Haley heads to her old family home to find him. Shenanigans ensue.

I’m quite fond of monster movies and disaster movies and this does a reasonable job of both of those things. The tension is wound tighter and tighter and whilst I hate jump scares the ones in the film worked even as I hate being manipulated. Crawl has some gory moments, some genuinely scary moments and quite a lot of downright hilarious moments. The film is quite ridiculous but it plays it completely straight and Kaya Scodelario is absolutely believable. That said there are some gaping plotholes that the biggest gator could swim through and nibble your leg off.

This is a film you want to watch on a Friday night with friends, pizza and possibly a beer or two. If you can contrive a drinking game even better as this film needs to be heckled and laughed at. I enjoyed it very much but its no masterpiece.