Formula: Oculus + Water
The first horror movie of the year is a fun entry to any calendar. It's this weird space that is understood to make surprise hits but also seen as a dumping ground for films that don't work. It's counter-programming for the holiday releases that are still largely dominating the box office. I don't think we've had any stone-cold classics released in this window. We did get M3gan and Scream V that last two years, and those were fun.
This year, horror's big winter hope is Nigh Swim. It's a movie about a family who move into a house with a haunted pool. The nature of how it is haunted and why they don't all just agree to not use the pool are for the movie to answer. It's most notable as Kerry Condon's first paycheck from her Oscar clout and for reminding me that Wyatt Russell, who I feel like was in college movies not that long ago, is actually old enough to have teen children.
I can't say the movie is anything worth going out of your way to see. First-time feature director Bryce McGuire executes some nice thrills in the water. It could definitely unnerve someone already afraid of the water. The origin of the haunted pool is nicely looney and not over-explained. The screenplay is best to not put under a microscope, because some parts don't hold together. None of the actors stand out from each other. Russell pulls off the "former athlete" part of his character much better than "concerned father". At first, I thought that was just my take as someone who mainly knows him from Everybody Wants Some!! and Lodge 49, but during a couple key dramatic moments in the movie, I heard some other people giggle at Russell's line delivery. So, I guess others agree that he was odd casting.
Verdict: Weakly Don't Recommend
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