THE SWALLOW

Five teenagers enter a chained-off section of a forest for a lazy weekend swimming in a river. There are some strange warnings around and a pile of muddy gear left behind by previous campers, but that probably means nothing, right? They don’t have cell service, but who cares? These teens are reconnecting with nature. Even setting up shelter seems unnecessary when you have all weekend. Unless this is your first horror movie ever, you can see where this is going. Shortly after arriving, the group comes across a strange toxic sludge that acts like quicksand with some extra, surprise quirks. That’s when they start dying.

Are you afraid of the woods? Have you ever been dragged on a trip with your sister’s annoying, colossally stupid friends? Do you like watching young, beautiful people dying while covered in mud? THE SWALLOW is perfect for you. Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s genre construction feels like an intentional throwback to B-movies of the ‘80s with some modern anxieties. What does it mean to willingly abandon the comfort of the constant surveillance of a consistent WiFi connection? And can we ever know what forces are controlling our lives? THE SWALLOW doesn’t set out to answer these questions, even when it asks them, but it does kill some young people for your sadistic pleasure. Enjoy! (AUSTIN KING)