Night Swim Synopsis & Review: Plot Summary

🎯 Quick Overview

😅 Plot Summary – Badly Explained

A haunted swimming pool gives a baseball player superpowers in exchange for his children…literally.

🍿 Night Swim: Detailed Plot Synopsis

The Waller Family’s New Home

The Waller family, consisting of Ray, Eve, Izzy, and Elliot, are in search of a fresh start and a permanent home. Ray, a former major league baseball player, has been forced into early retirement due to a degenerative illness. They find a house with a spacious swimming pool in the backyard, which seems perfect as water therapy is recommended for Ray’s condition.

Unveiling the Pool’s Dark Secret

As Ray begins his water therapy, his health mysteriously improves, raising Eve’s suspicions. Meanwhile, both Izzy and Elliot experience unsettling encounters in the pool, and the family cat goes missing. A pool party further intensifies the mystery when their realtor mentions the previous owners’ daughter, Rebecca, drowned in the pool.

The Truth Behind the Healing Spring

Eve investigates the history of the house and discovers a dark secret. She learns that the pool is connected to a healing spring that requires a sacrifice for its power to work. The previous owners sacrificed their daughter, Rebecca, to heal their terminally ill son. Eve realizes that Ray’s healing is coming at the cost of one of her children.

⚠️ Spoilers and Ending Explained

🎬 Cast & Characters

• Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell): A former baseball player struggling with a degenerative illness who finds his health mysteriously improving due to the pool’s sinister influence.
• Eve Waller (Kerry Condon): Ray’s wife, who becomes increasingly concerned about the pool’s effects on her husband and family.
• Izzy Waller (Amélie Hoeferle): The teenage daughter who experiences the pool’s terrifying effects and fights to protect her family.
• Elliot Waller (Gavin Warren): The younger son who is targeted by the malevolent force within the pool.
• Rebecca Summers (Ayazhan): A young girl who disappeared in the pool years prior, becoming a part of the pool’s dark history.

💬 Memorable Quotes

• Pool Tech: “It’s funny, isn’t it, though. I mean, we evolved out of the water, and some part of our reptilian brain knows we’re not supposed to be there anymore. But… I guess that’s why we try to tame it so hard. It’s like trying to conquer death…” – Said by the pool technician, foreshadowing the pool’s supernatural nature and the family’s attempt to control it.

💰Box Office

• Budget: $15,000,000
• Domestic Gross: $32,494,740
• Worldwide Gross: $54,768,317

💥 Night Swim Reviews

Personal Review

I really wanted to like Night Swim, the idea of a haunted pool is creepy! I had high hopes for some serious scares, but the movie didn’t deliver. The plot felt predictable, and the “monster” wasn’t scary at all. There were a few decent jump scares, but overall, I was left disappointed. I thought the actors were good, they did the best they could with the material. The family drama felt forced, like it was just there to pad out the runtime. I would recommend it only if you’re bored and looking for something mindless to watch.

• Who would enjoy:
  • “Fans of supernatural horror films”
  • “Viewers who enjoy suspenseful family dramas”
  • “Those looking for a PG-13 horror experience”
• Content warnings ⚠:
  • “Supernatural themes”
  • “Scary images”
  • “Mild violence”
  • “Thematic elements involving illness and sacrifice”
  • “Brief strong language”

Professional Reviews

• Rotten Tomatoes: “Despite a compelling premise, Night Swim drowns in predictability, relying on tired jump scares and a shallow story that fails to make a splash.
• IGN: “Night Swim can’t find its footing amidst a murky plot and uninspired scares. While Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon deliver committed performances, they are unable to elevate the film beyond its watery depths.
• IndieWire: “Night Swim squanders a promising premise with a derivative plot and lackluster execution. The scares are generic, and the characters lack the depth needed to truly connect with the audience.

Audience Reactions

Some viewers found the premise intriguing but the execution disappointing.: The acting was generally considered decent, especially by Wyatt Russell and Kerry Condon.

The lack of genuine scares and reliance on jump scares was a common complaint.: A few viewers found the film entertaining if approached with low expectations.

Overall Consensus: Night Swim fails to capitalize on its potentially creepy premise, resulting in a generic and unscary horror film with a predictable plot and shallow scares.

Awards

🛠️ Behind the Scenes

• “Night Swim is based on a 2014 short film of the same name, also directed by Bryce McGuire.”
• “The filmmakers used a practical approach for many of the underwater scenes, minimizing CGI to create a more realistic and unsettling atmosphere.”
• “The location used for the family home had a facade added to make the garage fully connect to the house as well as blocking the pool from the view in front of the house.”

🖥️ How to Watch Night Swim?

Night Swim is currently available for purchase or rental on various platforms, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play Movies, and Vudu. Check your local listings for cable on-demand options. Physical copies (Blu-ray/DVD) may also be available through retailers like Amazon and Best Buy. Availability may vary depending on your region.

🎥 Similar Movies

If you enjoyed Night Swim, you might like these similar films:

• The Amityville Horror (1979): Both films center on a family moving into a new home with a dark history and supernatural forces that begin to affect them.
• Poltergeist (1982): Similar theme of a family home being invaded by malevolent spirits and the lengths they go to protect their children.
• Lights Out (2016): A supernatural entity haunts a family, preying on their fears and using darkness as its weapon.

🛒 Night Swim Related Products

• Night Swim (Blu-ray): Bring home the terror with the Night Swim Blu-ray. Includes behind-the-scenes footage and deleted scenes for a deeper dive into the making of the movie.
• Inflatable Pool Float: Have some relaxing fun with the novelty item. This is not for serious fun. Do not leave unattended. Parental supervision is important.
• Underwater LED Pool Lights: Set the mood for your own (hopefully non-haunted) night swim with these color-changing underwater LED lights. Remote controlled and easy to install.
• Pool Cleaning Kit: Keep your pool sparkling clean, so you don’t end up with any unexplained monsters swimming in it. Includes a skimmer, brush, and vacuum.

🎧 Soundtrack

Night Swim features a captivating soundtrack that enhances the movie’s atmosphere and emotional impact. Here are some notable tracks:

• “The Swimming Song” – performed by Loudon Wainwright III
• “Harmonica” – performed by Harmonica Lewinski

You can find the complete soundtrack on Amazon Music and Apple Music.

🤨 FAQ

🔥 Bonus Content

Night Swim Pitch Meeting

Ever wondered how a movie about a haunted pool even got greenlit? This Pitch Meeting video hilariously breaks down all the questionable plot points of Night Swim. Trust me, it’s funnier than the movie itself!

This is Unbelievably Bad

Penguinz0 doesn’t hold back in this review of Night Swim! If you’re curious about whether the movie lives up to the hype (or lack thereof), give this a watch. He calls it ‘unbelievably bad’, and tbh, I’m kinda curious now.

SML Movie: Night Swim!

Junior’s pool is haunted! Want a goofy take on Night Swim? This SML parody is exactly what you need. It’s silly, over-the-top, and a fun way to laugh about the movie.

✨ Rate