Top 5 Things You Need To Know About Crawl

#5: The Premise Is Terrifying

“Crawl” follows a young woman named Haley trying to rescue her father from a crawl space during a hurricane. As if the situation wasn’t already dire enough, floodwaters leave the pair trapped inside with some uninvited guests. Alligators have invaded their Florida home, and are hunting them through the house as they frantically try to escape and reach rescuers. Adding to their difficulties, Haley’s father Dave is seriously injured. Haley has to find a way to keep not only herself, but also her father from becoming alligator food.

#4: It’s a Horror Movie with a Twist

The trailer made a big splash on arrival, hitting over 20 million views to date. Fraught with tension, it shows off the movie’s claustrophobic setting and reptilian antagonists. As we mentioned however, the alligators aren’t the only problem that Haley and Dave face. “Crawl” is a disaster horror film that combines both genres - upping the ante by blending them into one suspenseful package. Even as they struggle to escape the crawl space, the floodwaters are STILL rising, and surging waves leaves a trail of destruction in their wake. It’s a race against time and mother nature, and the odds are NOT in their favor.

#3: It Actually Doesn't Seem THAT Far-Fetched

While some might scoff at the idea of an alligator home invasion, “Crawl’s” premise isn’t so implausible. Atlantic hurricanes are becoming stronger faster, with catastrophic effects in the Caribbean and Eastern Seaboard. And gator bites in Florida are on the rise as humans increasingly encroach on their territories. So the idea of alligators menacing a family that fails to evacuate during a storm isn’t out of the question. It’s partly this near-to-life setup that has people already comparing “Crawl” to “Jaws.” Considering how rare shark attacks are compared to gator attacks, this movie could leave us more frightened of the water.

#2: It Has a Great Cast

“Crawl” might be set within a confined space, but it still packs in a solid cast. The two leads are Kaya Scodelario, who plays Haley, and Barry Pepper, who plays her father, Dave. Scodelario is best known for her roles in the UK teen drama “Skins,” and “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.” She also played Ted Bundy’s wife in “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile”. Pepper, meanwhile, is noted for his appearance in war movies and Westerns, such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “True Grit.” He picked up an Emmy for his role as Robert F. Kennedy in “The Kennedys”. Both actors appeared together previously in the “Maze Runner” franchise.

#1: It’s Got Some Serious Horror Cred

The folks behind the scenes on “Crawl” are just as impressive as the ones in front of the camera! The film’s writers are brothers Shawn and Michael Rasmussen, who scripted the John Carpenter movie “The Ward”. In the director’s chair is Alexandre Aja, whose credits include “The Hills Have Eyes” and the “Piranha 3D.” He’s also producing the film, along with Sam Raimi, whose famed “Evil Dead” franchise revolutionized small budget horror. In addition, Raimi’s production company, “Ghost House Pictures,” has also produced horror movies like “Don’t Breathe” and “Drag Me to Hell.” With that kind of pedigree, we’re optimistic that “Crawl” can bring the scares.