‘Something terrible has been unleashed’
They Crawl Beneath is a 2022 sci-fi horror film about a young cop trapped under a car after an earthquake has unleashed a fearsome creature.
Directed by Dale Fabrigar (Reed’s Point; 100 Yards; D-Railed) from a screenplay written by Tricia Aurand. Produced by Suzanne DeLaurentiis, Kevin Goetz, Neil Goetz and Stephen Hornyak.
The movie stars Michael Paré (The Vampire and the Vigilante; Triassic Hunt; Painkiller; Bad Moon), Joseph Almani (Reed’s Point), Arthur Roberts, Merrick McCartha, Karlee Eldridge, Elena Sahagun and Natalia Bilbao.
Plot:
While young cop Danny (Joseph Almani) is working on his Uncle Bill’s classic vintage car on a secluded ranch when a major earthquake hits.
Uncle Bill (Michael Paré) is crushed while Danny becomes trapped under the car, creating a claustrophobic nightmare. The situation intensifies alarmingly when something horrifying emerges out of the cracks in the ground that leaves Danny fighting for his life…
Release:
They Crawl Beneath will be released in North America on digital, Blu-ray (50% off at Amazon.com) and DVD on October 4, 2022, by Well Go USA. Commenting, Doris Pfardrescher, President and CEO of Well Go USA, said: “This weaving of creature feature horror with a disaster-thriller backdrop undoubtedly positions They Crawl Beneath as an engaging, nail-biting entry to the horror genre.”
Reviews:
“They Crawl Beneath takes a swing for the fences but lets go of the bat as it flails through the stadium, causing everyone to panic and run for their lives. After everyone realizes it was a freak accident, and no harm is done, it’s a funny situation to laugh at, but the whole experience leaves a rather sour note left in your mouth.” 2/5, Elements of Madness
“Juggling old-fashioned elements (giant creatures) with current-world issues (ACAB), They Crawl Beneath collapses more often than succeeds, but because it bears competency throughout, I admire its gumption. The practical worms look terrifying, even if the movie is not.” Flick Attack
” …the chemistry between Almani and Paré is fantastic, and the former goes from lovelorn sap to underdog hero with ease and generates plenty of audience sympathy […] They Crawl Beneath is an emotional, character-driven call back to the environmentally conscious fright flicks of the sinister ’70s and really shouldn’t be missed by fans of the same!” Horror Fuel
“Sometimes, depending on the director’s creativity, they can work magic and make the lowest budgeted movie appear bigger and better than it is. Unfortunately, Dale Fabrigar has no imagination or resourcefulness, so They Crawl Beneath winds up being an exercise in futility. For a movie that tries to pay homage to Tremors, it fails on every conceivable level.” 0.5/5, Irish Film Critic
“Joseph Almani labors like a pack mule playing Moritz, but this film gives him too much weight to carry on his own. Michael Pare brings a reliably likable meatheadedness to Uncle Bill, which is why his later scenes as an angry hallucination just do not fit with the rest of the film. The simple truth is the film just doesn’t work, aside from the practical, slimy effects, which are great.” J.B. Spins
“The creature effects are all (or seem to be) practical, with slimy hand puppets and animatronics, and there are a few solid moments that I’ll remember for quite some time. Co-star Michael Pare gives the movie some legitimacy in a strong supporting role (much of which he’s required to play dead), and with a scaled-back cast the movie has an intimacy to it that works.” The Movie Elite
“Tense and full of some interesting POV shots, this creature feature doesn’t disappoint, especially when the fissures release what they’ve kept hidden for far too long. Low in budget but high in drama, They Crawl Beneath is loaded with some cool creature feature effects, which ultimately make this journey with a disaster-thriller as its backdrop pretty damn fun.” Reel Reviews
” …the film rests on the shoulders of Joseph Almani. The actor convinces by alternating between nervousness and despair, going through a roller coaster of feelings. Throughout the short run time, I had a general investment in his character’s struggle […] I commend the filmmakers for using practical effects instead of CGI.” C+ Reviews and Dunn
“It isn’t that They Crawl Beneath (2022) is a bad film. It’s just too routine. Too safe. Too reserved. It’s an entirely predictable affair that adheres faithfully closely to the safest possible narrative choices – even when trying to ramp up the claustrophobia or the whole affair – more comfortable in preserving the middle ground instead of truly doing anything new, different, or innovative.” Sci-Fi History
” …the theme is really just a framework for a character-driven, claustrophobic story that does have more to offer than just monster action, and a very solid ensemble cast, aided by a subtle directorial effort, bring this to life quite beautifully, making it pretty good genre entertainment.” Search My Trash
“Director Dale Fabrigar makes the set pieces work fine, and the practical effects on the creatures are good. The performances are a bit uneven. Almani and Paré have good chemistry together, but when he’s on his own, Almani isn’t able to really get away from being in constant distress, or able to show much in the way of believable anxiety or emotion, even when he discovers some unexpected truths.” Sonic Cinema
“When it is focused on the worms, They Crawl Beneath is a fairly good creature feature with nasty-looking monsters and a bit of gore. Unfortunately, the script spends way too much time on soap opera-level drama and relies on coincidences and people making incredibly stupid choices way more than it should.” 2/5, Voices from the Balcony
Our view?
We agree with the J.B. Spins review
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