When we first walked into the movie theater, we were petrified to see that an empty dark theater awaited us. Only two other people dared to watch the film, so we sat anxiously in an eerie theater void of commotion. As we prepared to watch “Night Swim,” we feared our perception of pools would change forever. 

The movie begins abruptly, introducing the horror of the pool in the backyard of a seemingly normal suburban house through a flashback of what occurred to a previous owner. In 1992, Rebecca Summers, a young girl, is woken up at night by the sound of her ailing brother’s toy boat in the pool. Determined to retrieve the toy for her brother, she embarks on a mission to get the toy without going in the pool. Unfortunately, she falls into the pool and is drowned by some unknown creature beneath the surface.

In the next scene set in the present day, the Waller family is looking at purchasing the same house. They hope to use the natural spring water pool for rehabilitation for the father of the family, Ray Waller, who was recently forced to end his major-league baseball career after being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. 

The Wallers quickly move into the house and fix up the pool, excited to use it. Contrary to their enthusiasm, the mother, son, and daughter of the family begin experiencing strange and frightening occurrences while in the pool. As Ray begins to heal from the water, his family continues experiencing terrifying oddities surrounding the pool. We watched on, seeing if they sink or swim. 

“Night Swim” is truly a thrilling horror film that ponders the duality of nature’s abilities to hurt and heal. We think that this film calls attention to the purity of nature, but also how it can be corrupted into something despicable by humanity’s greed.  The Waller family realizes this and is unsure how to move forward with their lives regarding the pool. The resulting decision is shocking and noble, leaving us satisfied with the ending of the film.

Based on a horror film by Bryce McGuire and Rod Blackhurst in 2014, the film presents the essence of the recent feature, as a woman is drowned in a pool by a shadowy figure beneath the surface. The new film expands on this short scene, building a complex story around it.

“Night Swim” is a must-watch film that is sure to enthrall you while keeping you guessing what will happen next. If you are looking to watch a scary movie that isn’t going to keep you awake at night, this film is a great choice for you.