Night Swim

This film is a suspenseful thriller that acquaints audiences with the strange world of late-night aquatic horror—something mysterious lurking in what seems to be an innocent backyard pool. That said, it really does build tension and contains well-crafted suspensory moments with atmospheric cinematography, which plays upon the primal fears of the unknown. Wyatt Russell does an excellent job playing a protagonist wrestling between growing terror and his past. The premise is pretty interesting, although at times the narrative falters a bit, relying too heavily on jump scares and familiar horror tropes. It has rather shallow character development, leaving little room to be invested in what happens to them. That said, even with these flaws, "Night Swim" is sure to give audiences a jolting experience worth keeping them on their toes, even while treading well-known waters in the horror genre.

Staff:

Directed by: Bryce McGuire

Screenplay by: Bryce McGuire

Story by: Bryce McGuire and Rod Blackhurst

Based on: Night Swim by Bryce McGuire and Rod Blackhurst

Produced by: Jason Blum and James Wan

Starring: Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon

Cinematography: Charlie Sarroff

Edited by: Jeff McEvoy

Music by: Mark Korven

Production companies: Blumhouse Productions and Atomic Monster

Distributed by: Universal Pictures

Release date: January 5, 2024

Running time: 98 minutes