Night Swim review: Dive into the Dangers

Night Swim is a refreshing take on the classic haunted house story by Atomic Monster and Blumhouse. This horror film flips the script by revealing that it's not the house that's haunted, but the pool itself. This high-concept, low-budget premise follows in the footsteps of other successful Blumhouse films like M3GAN and Five Nights at Freddy's.

The casting of Night Swim follows the familiar Blumhouse playbook, with headliners Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon bringing serious acting pedigree to the movie. However, despite a fun premise and credible performances, Night Swim ultimately sinks under the weight of its derivative and overstuffed story.

Something wicked this way swims

Night Swim, a film co-produced by writer-director Bryce McGuire, introduces us to ex-Major League Baseball player Ray Waller (Russell) and his wife, Eve (Condon). Along with their children Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle) and Elliot (Gavin Warren), the family slowly comes to the realization that a malevolent force lurks beneath the surface of their new house’s swimming pool.

The setup may seem absurd, but McGuire manages to create plenty of scares with the "possessed pool" idea, particularly in the intense opening scene. Cinematographer Charlie Sarroff, sound designer P.K. Hooker, and composer Mark Korven also deserve recognition for their contributions, as their eerie visuals and soundscape turn a simple backyard pool into a foreboding abyss.

Rarely does what we see or hear send chills down our spines in Night Swim – it's the unseen that does. The film is most effective when it leaves room for our imagination to take over. While water-logged ghouls are creepy, a toy boat appearing out of nowhere is what nightmares are made of. It also helps that we genuinely care about the Wallers. Russell, Condon, Hoeferle, and Warren are believable and likable as a family unit. So, when Night Swim's submerged spooks begin to stir up trouble, we're rooting for their survival.

Familiar waters for horror movie fans

Regrettably, as we delve further into Night Swim, McGuire and editor Jeff McEvoy allocate less screentime to the family drama aspect. Russell and Condon make admirable efforts to convey the film’s themes of love and sacrifice, but they lack the necessary space to truly resonate.

Instead, the runtime is devoted to increasingly unoriginal paranormal antics. McGuire not only incorporates every classic horror movie trope, but also directly borrows concepts and scenes from films like Jaws, IT, The Shining, and Poltergeist. Night Swim is a kitchen sink approach to storytelling, leading to a lack of focus as it progresses. Despite this, the depth of Night Swim's lore is surprisingly shallow, leaving viewers with numerous unanswered questions that are not entirely intentional. Hardcore horror enthusiasts may even recognize additional references.

Night Swim review score: 2/5

The nitpicking over details like these appears to reveal the short-form roots of Night Swim. It's almost as if McGuire ran out of material after 30 minutes of engaging storytelling and struggled to sustain the momentum.

Experience Night Swim is akin to participating in its nighttime counterpart, initially enjoyable but quickly losing its appeal. Night Swim will hit theaters on January 5th. For all the latest TV and movie news and updates, be sure to explore Dexerto's complete coverage here.

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z netizen, I am intrigued by the concept of "Night Swim" and the idea of a haunted swimming pool. The film's premise is refreshing and unique, and I appreciate the creative twist on the classic haunted house trope. The casting of Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon also adds to the appeal, as they are both talented actors who can bring depth and credibility to their roles.

However, I am concerned about the film's potential lack of originality and its reliance on overused horror movie tropes. The review mentions that the film incorporates elements from various classic horror movies, which could make it feel derivative and uninspired. Additionally, the fact that the film's runtime is devoted to increasingly unoriginal paranormal antics and that it leaves viewers with unanswered questions raises some red flags. I hope that the film can find a balance between paying homage to classic horror films and offering something fresh and innovative.