Crawl
When a huge hurricane hits her hometown in Florida, Haley ignores evacuation orders to look for her father. After finding him badly wounded, both are trapped by the flood. With virtually no time to escape the storm, they discover that rising water levels are the least of their problems.
Despite its small-scale budget of $13.5M, Crawl became a massive hit, earning $91.5M worldwide—a remarkable 578% return. The film's innovative storytelling connected with viewers, demonstrating that strong storytelling can transcend budget limitations.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Crawl (2019) demonstrates precise story structure, characteristic of Alexandre Aja's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 13-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 1 hour and 27 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.2, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Haley swims competitively at college, pushing herself hard but losing her race. Her coach comments on her mental state and relationship with her father. Shows her as driven but emotionally disconnected.. The analysis reveals that this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 10 minutes when Haley defies evacuation orders and drives into the hurricane zone to find her father. She discovers him badly injured in the crawl space under the house, attacked by an alligator.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 21 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This indicates the protagonist's commitment to Haley makes the active choice to fight for survival and save her father rather than abandon him. She commits to navigating the gator-infested crawl space to get supplies and find escape routes., moving from reaction to action.
At 43 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 49% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Of particular interest, this crucial beat False defeat: Haley makes it upstairs and nearly escapes through a window, but is dragged back by an alligator. She realizes the entire house is surrounded and the storm is worsening. The stakes raise dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 64 minutes (74% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, All is lost: Haley and her father are swept into the flooded basement as the house breaks apart. They're separated, surrounded by multiple alligators in churning water. Her father appears to be dying. Death seems inevitable., reveals the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Synthesis at 70 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. The finale: Haley executes her plan, using swimming prowess to navigate the flooded house, saves her father, fights off gators, launches a flare, and gets them both to the roof where they're rescued by helicopter., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Crawl's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 13 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Crawl against these established plot points, we can identify how Alexandre Aja utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Crawl within the horror genre.
Alexandre Aja's Structural Approach
Among the 5 Alexandre Aja films analyzed on Arcplot, the average structural score is 7.2, reflecting strong command of classical structure. Crawl takes a more unconventional approach compared to the director's typical style. For comparative analysis, explore the complete Alexandre Aja filmography.
Comparative Analysis
Additional horror films include Lake Placid, A Nightmare on Elm Street and Cat's Eye. For more Alexandre Aja analyses, see High Tension, Mirrors and The Hills Have Eyes.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Haley swims competitively at college, pushing herself hard but losing her race. Her coach comments on her mental state and relationship with her father. Shows her as driven but emotionally disconnected.
Theme
Haley's coach tells her "Apex predator" - her father's mantra about being fearless and dominant. This becomes the film's thematic core: overcoming fear and survival instincts when facing literal apex predators.
Worldbuilding
Haley is established as a competitive swimmer with father issues. Hurricane warning is issued. She can't reach her estranged father by phone. Her sister asks her to check on him at the old family house in Florida.
Disruption
Haley defies evacuation orders and drives into the hurricane zone to find her father. She discovers him badly injured in the crawl space under the house, attacked by an alligator.
Resistance
Haley tries to help her semi-conscious father while realizing they're trapped in the crawl space with alligators. She debates whether to risk leaving for help or stay. The house is flooding and gators are multiplying.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Haley makes the active choice to fight for survival and save her father rather than abandon him. She commits to navigating the gator-infested crawl space to get supplies and find escape routes.
Mirror World
Haley and her injured father reconnect through their survival struggle. Their estranged relationship becomes the emotional B-story that carries the theme of family and not giving up on each other.
Premise
The "fun and games" of survival horror: Haley navigates the flooded crawl space, retrieves her phone, tends to wounds, fights off alligators, and attempts various escape plans. Classic creature-feature cat-and-mouse action.
Midpoint
False defeat: Haley makes it upstairs and nearly escapes through a window, but is dragged back by an alligator. She realizes the entire house is surrounded and the storm is worsening. The stakes raise dramatically.
Opposition
Everything gets worse: more gators, rising water, her father worsening, failed rescue attempts, looters killed by gators. Haley is bitten multiple times. The house begins breaking apart in the storm.
Collapse
All is lost: Haley and her father are swept into the flooded basement as the house breaks apart. They're separated, surrounded by multiple alligators in churning water. Her father appears to be dying. Death seems inevitable.
Crisis
Haley's dark night: severely wounded, exhausted, watching her father slip away. She must process whether she has the strength to continue fighting or should accept defeat.
Act III
ResolutionSynthesis
The finale: Haley executes her plan, using swimming prowess to navigate the flooded house, saves her father, fights off gators, launches a flare, and gets them both to the roof where they're rescued by helicopter.