When it comes to seeing movies, for me there is only one place to do it, that’s in a theater. In a day where you can watch movies just about anywhere, the only way to get the true experience you want is to see it in a large dark room filled with strangers. The reason why is not just because of the screen, it’s also because of the environment. Action movies are bigger and comedies are funnier, because movies are a communal experience and let’s face it most things are better with friends. The Pool is something you don’t see alone, not because it’s scary, but you just won’t get the full effect if you are by yourself.
At a pool, a group is shooting a commercial with some cool underwater material. Day (Theeradej Wongpuapan) is a member of that crew and when everything is wrapped he and another guy are left to clean up. Day kind of relaxes in the pool, but the other guy has started the draining process and when Day wakes up, the pool is at a level where he can’t get out. Day tries, but gives up and is positive someone will show up to help him, that someone is his girlfriend Koi (Ratnamin Ratchiratham), but she decides to join him instead, and even though he tries to warn her, it is too late. Now they are both trapped and while two is comfortable it soon becomes a crowd when an unexpected crocodile joins them in the empty pool, setting up a battle for survival, where everything that can go wrong will go wrong in this tense thriller.
I am not going to sit here and tell you all about the greatness that is The Pool, because it is really something you need to experience for yourself. I love great movies, but I also love the ones that just go all in and maybe not have its intended effect, but still deliver anyways. Written and directed by Ping Lumpraploeng, who needed ten years to get his idea to the screen, The Pool is like “Murphy’s Law” playing out completely before your eyes as Ping makes his characters suffer some just plain bad luck throughout. Day’s bad luck though is our good luck as we get to see one hell of an entertaining time as you root for him to escape, but at the same time marvel at the things he has to go through to make that happen. I loved this movie, but also know it’s a movie you watch with your friends, because that is how it is meant to be seen. Movies can be fun and The Pool proves that. It also proves that no matter how rough of a week you think you are having, this guy is having a much worse one. Crocodile man Crocodile.
