The Hatching

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TheMovieSearch R Some horror films are bad in a way that still entertains — campy, cheesy, or unintentionally funny. But then there are films like The Hatching, which aim for horror and suspense yet miss the mark so badly they barely even qualify as horror at all. The setup is simple enough: an alligator terrorizes a small town. Done well, this could have been a fun creature feature — a mix of tension, blood, and pulpy entertainment. Instead, what we get is a laughably bad execution where the supposed “monster” is so unconvincing that it sabotages the entire film. The biggest offender is the alligator itself. It never once looks real. Its movements are stiff, unnatural, and completely devoid of weight. Every time it lunges or attacks, you’re reminded not of a terrifying predator, but of a plastic prop being awkwardly manipulated just out of frame. Things get even worse when the gator is carried back into town. Rather than having any believable weight or natural droop, it’s stiff as a board — like someone hauling a hollow toy. To make matters worse, the seams of the model are sometimes visible, exposing just how cheap the craftsmanship really was. Creature features live and die by their effects. Even audiences who are fully aware that practical props or CGI are in play will suspend disbelief if the presentation is handled with care. But The Hatching doesn’t even try. There’s no artistry, no clever camera work to hide the flaws, and no attempt to make the alligator remotely intimidating. By the time it’s paraded into town looking like something out of a knockoff theme park attraction, the film loses all credibility. Whatever thin thread of tension it had been clinging to evaporates in that moment. The rest of the film doesn’t fare much better. The pacing drags, the characters are forgettable, and the direction seems uncertain — as if even the filmmakers weren’t sure whether they were making a horror movie, a dark comedy, or just something to fill a slot on a streaming catalog. What’s left is a muddled, halfhearted project that feels rushed and careless. Bottom line: The Hatching isn’t scary, it isn’t thrilling, and it isn’t even fun in a “so bad it’s good” way. It’s just bad — with effects so distractingly fake they derail every single scene. If you’re looking for a good creature feature, you’d be better off rewatching Lake Placid, Crawl, or even a Syfy original movie. At least those try to entertain. Rated 0.5/5 Stars •  Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 09/29/25 Full Review Audience Member nur ein guter Teil war, wo der Junge gegessen wurde Rated 2/5 Stars •  Rated 2 out of 5 stars 01/27/23 Full Review Audience Member the only good part was where the boy got eaten Rated 3/5 Stars •  Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review Audience Member solo una buena parte fue cuando el niño fue comido Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 01/29/23 Full Review Audience Member only good part was when the boy got eaten Rated 5/5 Stars •  Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/15/23 Full Review Audience Member only good part was where the boy got eaten Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/16/23 Full Review Read all reviews

The Hatching

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