Watch The Midnight Swim
- NR
- 2015
- 1 hr 24 min
-
5.0 (1,120)
The Midnight Swim is a 2014 indie film directed by Sarah Adina Smith that follows three sisters as they return to their childhood home after the death of their mother. However, they soon discover that the lake on their property holds mysterious and possibly supernatural secrets. The film opens with the three sisters, Isa (Lindsay Burdge), Annie (Jennifer Lafleur), and June (Aleksa Palladino), driving towards their mother's house. Isa, the eldest, is a documentarian and is seen filming her sisters as they catch up and reminisce about their childhood. Upon arriving at the lake house, they discover that their mother's body has not yet been found, and they decide to stay and wait. They soon realize that they are not the only ones staying at the lake, as they meet a few of their mother's strange neighbors.
Throughout the film, the sisters are shown bonding and mending their relationships, all while uncovering the strange happenings at the lake. The film uses a found footage style, as Isa continues to film the entire experience for her documentary. The footage is often shaky and unsteady, adding to the sense of unease and mystery.
As the sisters begin to explore the lake and the surrounding areas, strange occurrences start to happen. The lake itself seems to have a life of its own, with unexpected currents and an odd place that locals refer to as "Seven Sisters." The sisters also discover that their mother was researching and investigating the lake's mysteries, and her findings lead them to uncover more about the strange happenings there.
The Midnight Swim is a slow-burning psychological horror film that has a lot of atmosphere and tension. The film does not rely on jump scares or gore, but rather on a sense of unease and mystery. The performances by the three main actresses carry the film, with Lindsay Burdge giving a standout portrayal of Isa, who is both relatable and frustrating at times.
The film's cinematography is also noteworthy, with beautiful shots of the lake and surrounding areas that add to the film's sense of mystery and isolation. The found footage style, while potentially off-putting for some viewers, adds to the sense of realism and immediacy.
Overall, The Midnight Swim is a well-crafted indie horror film that focuses on character development and atmosphere rather than cheap scares. It is a slow burn that rewards patient viewers with a satisfying and haunting conclusion.
The Midnight Swim is a 2015 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 24 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 5.0 and a MetaScore of 55.