Based on the 2014 short of the same name, Night Swim tells the story of a family who moves into the suburbs after their father is forced into early retirement due to a degenerative illness. Their new home is suburb picture perfect with a pool in the back that the family decides to clean up and make use of. But like the title of this post, the official trailer makes it clear that something lurks in those waters.
As the teenage daughter of the family plays marco polo with a friend during a late night swim, the pool lights flicker. And we’re shown ominous shots that focus on her feet, as if we should keep an eye out because something is lurking. Then there’s the breathing. Something is there with her and she thinks it’s her friend. It’s not. And something grabs her, scaring the hell out of her and us, before she’s pulled down into the pool’s watery depths.
In the original Night Swim, directed by Rod Blackhurst and Bryce McGuire, a woman swims in her pool at night, waiting for her partner to come home. And when she submerges herself, seeking a moment of solitude, she sees something looking at her from the poolside. Freaking out, she swims up to find nothing. The cycle continues until she comes face to face with the creature stalking her.
Personally, I love that Night Swim is being given the full feature treatment. Horror short films are paving with some really creative stories. And it makes sense for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse to start developing these shorts into feature films. They did it with 2016’s Lights Out. And if they’re looking for more horror short films to adapt, we’ve got a list of 13 suggestions here.
Watch the trailer for Night Swim below:
Night Swim doesn’t have an official release date yet.
