𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙙

The Flood (2023) is a creature feature with a throwback spirit, combining elements of disaster, action, and survival horror into a fast-paced, alligator-filled thrill ride. Directed by Brandon Slagle, the film delivers exactly what its title promises: a brutal storm, a high-stakes escape, and predators lurking beneath rising waters.

Set in a small Louisiana town during a devastating hurricane, The Flood follows a group of prisoners who are being transported during the storm—an ill-fated decision that turns catastrophic when their vehicle is forced to take shelter in a flooded, nearly abandoned jail. With water levels rising and communication cut off, the guards and inmates must work together to survive—but the real threat isn’t just the storm.

As the building begins to flood, monstrous alligators breach the facility, turning the prison into a claustrophobic deathtrap. The survivors are quickly thrust into a life-or-death battle—not just against nature’s fury, but against each other, as tensions rise and secrets come to light.

The film stars Nicky Whelan as the tough but vulnerable Sheriff Jo Newman, and Casper Van Dien as the hardened prisoner Russell Cody. Both actors commit fully to the material, bringing sincerity to roles that might otherwise be lost in a movie that leans heavily into its B-movie tone. Van Dien, in particular, brings surprising depth to his character, blurring the line between villain and reluctant hero.

Visually, The Flood uses practical effects, tight camerawork, and murky lighting to generate tension. While the CGI gators won’t win awards for realism, they’re serviceable and effective in the context of the film’s over-the-top style. The action scenes are well-paced, and the film never lingers too long between suspenseful moments.

Where The Flood really works is in its unapologetic embrace of genre. It knows exactly what it is—lean, loud, and bloody. It doesn’t try to reinvent creature horror, but it doesn’t need to. It offers 90 minutes of swampy, gator-chomping fun that fans of Anaconda, Lake Placid, or Crawl will likely appreciate.

While it may not break new ground in horror or disaster filmmaking, The Flood is a solid, entertaining entry in the "nature bites back" subgenre. If you’re in the mood for chaos, creatures, and claustrophobic thrills, this is a storm worth weathering.