Synopsis: A family moves into a new home and is terrorized by an evil spirit in their pool.
Director: Bryce McGuire
Stars: Wyatt Russell, Kerry Condon, Amelie Hoeferle, Gavin Warren
Sometimes, you can tell what time of year it is by the movies being released. Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day have this locked down, but so does January. We always seem to get a horror at the beginning of the year. In 2023, it was M3gan, and this year, it’s Night Swim. Ironically, both films come from the same studio, Blumhouse.
Jason Blum just seems to have a knack for scaring audiences. Night Swim is directed by Bryce McGuire, who co-wrote the screenplay and the short film the movie is based on.
In the film, we meet the Waller family. Ray (Wyatt Russell) is a professional baseball player who is inactive due to a medical condition. His wife Eve (Kerry Condon) and their kids Izzy and Elliot (Amelie Hoeferle and Gavin Warren) have relocated to the Twin Cities, where they are getting used to life without baseball as Ray recuperates.
It’s a bit of a blow to Ray’s ego as he has gone from being a popular player to someone who uses a cane. Fortunately for him, his wife is very supportive, and the family unit seems to be tight.
They moved into a new home with a pool, which seemed great. Izzy wants to try out for the swim team, and everyone seems to be enjoying their aquatic relaxation.
Since Jason Blum’s name is attached to this, we know it isn’t too long before ‘the crazy’ starts happening.
One by one, the family members begin having bizarre experiences in the pool. Is it in their head? Is it possessed?
Night Swim isn’t original and follows similar patterns that we have seen in other films of this type. The film isn’t scary but does have some effective jump scares scattered throughout.
The horror genre can be difficult to break into and make a mark in, and while Blumhouse films have done that before, that isn’t the case here.
The score is haunting, and the performances are decent, but it’s too much of a been there. I’ve done that to make it more memorable.
Last year, M3gan ushered in a new year, and its popularity at the box office left no doubt this was the start of a franchise. The same can’t be said here.
Night Swim is an average film that would be best watched on a streaming service.
Grade: C
Watch the movie trailer:
