PLATFORM: SHUDDER | RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW
Art director Day’s (Theeradej Wongpuapan) leisurely afternoon at the pool goes wrong when the whole thing is drained while he is still in it. Trapped at the bottom of a 6-meter deep pool in the baking heat, things go from bad to worse when his girlfriend (Ratnamon Ratchiratham) falls in, cracking her head. Things go from worse to much worse when a hungry crocodile decides to join them. How long can Day and Koi keep the deadly beast at bay? And, more importantly, will Day’s adorable dog make it out alive?
A guy, a girl, a dog, and a crocodile (plus some pizza). Director Ping Lumpraploeng’s sparse creature feature might have only a swimming pool to its name, but the things he does with these ingredients is truly incredible. From The Pool emerges one of the best thrillers of the year, and the greatest creature feature since 2019’s Crawl. Occasionally dodgy crocodile CGI aside, it’s an excellent achievement, and one of the best single location genre movies in years. Stupendously acted by human, dog, and CGI croc alike, there’s not an ounce of spare meat or fat to it. Its action sequences are on point too, with some of the best Man vs Croc violence ever committed to screen. All this and an immense heart, culminating in a traumatising showdown that’s as exhausting emotionally as it is physically.
Pair with Crawl if you like awesome creature features with heart, or Train to Busan if you enjoy being emotionally wrecked. The Pool is a brutal, intense journey from start to finish. All without actually going anywhere.
