Gator Creek

Kyle is mourning the loss of her brother and is invited by her friend Alice to join her as well as two other friends to a trip to Everglades so that Kyle can spread her brother's ashes. Their plane crashes during the journey and all of them get stranded at an unknown swamp. To make matters worse, the swamp is infested by killer alligators who make this fight for survival a tad bit tough Kyle and her friends. As the alligators show fierce behavior which is opposite to their natural instincts, Kyle has to figure out the way to survive and save her friends.

For the budget they had, it is commendable what they did with the alligators alone and ofcourse the plane crash. The screenplay relies on the usual tropes of the nerdy yet stronger lead character and an extremely annoying supporting character who refuses to die at any cost. Remaining supporting cast exist to be gator prey. The writing let's down the core idea which was enough to be a good B movie but the screenplay fails to build the tension. The positives are less and the pay off is non existent for the climax build up. The final face off against the big Christina deserved better execution. A group of survivors up against meth loving alligators needed a crazier screenplay.

I love a creature feature, and I don't mind low budget. The crocs effects were actually quite good and the lead actress carried the movie. But there were too many 'roll your eye' moments which dented its credibility, like how did the croc get above the pilot to bite his head off? And why were they even friends with the horrible girl? And the business man who dropped his phone whilst having a wee, and then finding it 6 feet away? It's a popcorn movie. I enjoyed it. Ish.

PS I saw one reviewer ask who the man was at the end - he was the pilot who had his head bitten off.

Terrible acting, horrible casting, and a storyline that feels like it was recycled from countless other films-but with an extra layer of awfulness. The dialogue is forced, the characters are unconvincing, and the pacing is sluggish. Any attempt at suspense or emotion falls completely flat. Even the cinematography and editing seem rushed and uninspired. It's almost impressive how every element of this movie manages to miss the mark. I think 1 star is overrating it-this is a complete waste of time.

You will be surprised by the time you will waste watching this cheap movie. Can't believe I wasted my time.

Directors Taneli Mustonen and Brad Watson attempt to capitalize on the creature feature revival with this transparently derivative entry that squanders its potentially entertaining premise through fundamental execution failures. What could have been a gleefully absurd romp in the vein of "Cocaine Bear" instead becomes a tedious slog through swampland mediocrity, hampered by uninspired direction and a script that treats its ridiculous concept with unearned seriousness.

The film's most glaring weakness lies in its inability to commit to either genuine horror or campy entertainment. Mustonen and Watson's direction lacks the precision required for effective creature feature filmmaking, resulting in poorly staged action sequences that fail to generate either tension or thrills. The cinematography, while occasionally capturing the atmospheric potential of the Louisiana setting, suffers from inconsistent lighting and mundane framing that reduces the bayou from a character in its own right to mere backdrop.

Athena Strates delivers a surprisingly grounded performance as Kyle, the grieving college graduate anchoring the ensemble. Her portrayal of trauma and survivor's guilt provides the film's only authentic emotional moments, elevating material that rarely deserves such commitment. Strates navigates the increasingly absurd circumstances with conviction, particularly in scenes dealing with her character's complicated relationship with loss and responsibility. Madalena Aragão brings welcome energy to her supporting role, though the script provides little opportunity for character development beyond basic survival instincts. Elisha Applebaum rounds out the central trio with competent work, though she's hamstrung by dialogue that veers between exposition-heavy and nonsensical.

The creature design itself represents a missed opportunity. Rather than leaning into the drug-enhanced premise to create visually distinctive antagonists, the alligators remain frustratingly conventional. The practical effects work shows budget constraints at every turn, while digital enhancements fail to convincingly integrate with the live-action elements. Action sequences lack the visceral impact necessary for effective creature horror, often cutting away from potentially exciting encounters in favor of reaction shots that highlight the cast's limitations rather than building suspense.

Perhaps most disappointingly, the film's 87-minute runtime feels padded despite its brevity. Pacing issues plague the narrative from the crash sequence onward, with long stretches of aimless wandering punctuated by brief, poorly choreographed creature encounters. The script by Ashley Holberry and Gavin Cosmo Mehrtens demonstrates little understanding of survival horror fundamentals, failing to establish clear stakes or maintain consistent internal logic. Character decisions range from questionable to outright nonsensical, undermining any investment in their fates.

While genre enthusiasts might find fleeting entertainment in the film's commitment to its central absurdity, casual viewers will likely find little to recommend here. The production values suggest competent craftsmanship in some technical areas, but the overall experience feels assembled rather than authored, lacking the distinct vision necessary to distinguish itself in an increasingly crowded field of creature features.

When nature collides with the consequences of human actions, a new creature is born - violent, uncontrollable, and above all: unpredictable. The Bayou illustrates this perfectly.

The story opens with a plane crash that leaves a group of survivors cut off from the world, surrounded by murky waters, creeping shadows, and a constant sense of danger. At the center stands Kyle, the film's protagonist, who leads the group in a fight for survival. The film blends survival thriller with biological horror, where the main threat is mutated alligators. However, the plot doesn't really evolve or shift in a meaningful way. It maintains a steady level of tension - which works in its favor at times, but also holds it back.

From beginning to end, the interactions between characters feel forced. Conversations lack flow, and the dialogue sounds like it's being read directly from the script. On the other hand, the cinematography deserves praise - each shot feels intentional and well-placed. The directing and writing, however, come across as the bare minimum. The film opens on a warm, almost family-like tone - something I always consider a great setup for a horror film. But just as emotional moments begin to build between the characters, the film quickly cuts them short to rush into the plane crash and the threat waiting in the bayou - even before the characters have boarded the plane. It feels like there was no real interest in developing the characters, just a rush to get to the action. It's as if none of the writers really wanted to tell a deep story - they just wanted to deliver a solid jump scare experience. And in that regard, they did pretty well.

The film opens with a highly intense score that initially feels out of place. But putting that moment aside, Segun Akinola delivers an excellent soundtrack. He manages to heighten the tension and even make the most predictable jump scares feel genuinely terrifying. The overall sound design is also impressive.

While the official budget has not been released, it's hard to ignore the CGI quality. Watching an alligator run like a flying bison from Avatar: The Last Airbender made it clear we were in trouble. Every interaction between the survivors and the creature felt detached from reality - awkward and far from realistic. That said, the creators seemed aware of this flaw and tried to compensate with clever camera work that kept things visually ambiguous. They also used real alligator footage, which blended surprisingly well and helped maintain a relatively realistic tone.

The ending, however, felt like a different film altogether - in the best way. Suddenly, the acting was more compelling, the camera work more precise, and a powerful flashback paired with an emotional score created a standout finale. The music in the final scene reached another level entirely, delivering a true sense of euphoria - one I'll likely remember for years.

The Bayou aims to immerse us in a story of survival, fear, and hysteria deep within the wild - but for the most part, it simply keeps us guessing when the next jump scare will arrive. There are moments of brilliance - both emotional and suspenseful - but they are few and far between.

If you're new to the horror genre, this could be a decent starting point. But if you're a seasoned fan looking for depth or innovation - you can probably skip it. You're not missing much.