The Flood (2023) – Movie Review with Summary
“The Flood” isn’t as bad as one might think, but because of a dull story, it’s more boring than it should be.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
Additionally, some images and text may include affiliate links, meaning we may earn a commission or receive products if you make a purchase.
General Information
| Director(s) | Brandon Slagle |
| Screenplay By | Chad Law and Josh Ridgway |
| Based On | N/A |
| Date Released (Video On Demand) | July 14th, 2023 |
| Genre(s) | Action, Horror |
| Film Length | 1 Hour 33 Minutes |
| Content Rating | Rated R |
| Noted Characters and Cast | |
| Sheriff Jo Newman | Nicky Whelan |
| Russell Cody | Casper Van Dien |
What Is “The Flood” Rated And Why?
“The Flood” is Rated R due to graphic violence involving mutilations, guns, and alligators.
Film Summary
This content contains pertinent spoilers. Also, images and text in this post may contain affiliate links. If a purchase is made from those sites, we may earn money or products from the company.
If you watch the trailer or even see a poster for “The Flood,” you can take a good guess at what it’ll be. Yes, it’s a monster-animal movie about killer alligators. Yes, it’s a B-movie with often silly special effects for those alligators. Yes, it’s bad. But breaking down many of those details, nothing is especially horrendous (lighting, sound, acting, shot composition), and while the special effects provide a stark contrast to the real scenery, they do what they can on a budget. What makes “The Flood” bad largely goes back to shallow writing.
A dangerous hurricane is brewing, one that rages and floods many buildings, including a jail in New Orleans. Sheriff Jo Newman (Nicky Whelan) must shelter a pack of crude inmates for the night and handle their constant harassment over her being a woman. One inmate, Russell Cody (Casper Van Dien), is more polite than the others, but little do Newman and Cody both know that more criminals are coming to break Cody out of jail. These criminals may initially have the upper hand, but a pack of deadly and hungry alligators is on the loose, ready to devour anybody they see.
“The Flood” delivers the expected carnage of a monster animal movie but is rarely any fun. Despite the Louisiana accents, the inmate actors are forced to play cliche criminals without any wit. The premise of criminals and law enforcement having to come together to survive is intriguing, but “The Flood” merely mentions this before making both parties enemies again. “The Flood” doesn’t rise to the ridiculous heights of “Sharknado” or “Birdemic,” but in order for it to be memorable, maybe it should. As the bodies pile up, you’ll realize you hardly knew any characters to sympathize with or enjoy their deaths. “The Flood” isn’t as bad as you might think, but it’s more boring than it should be.
Character Descriptions
Please Note: This character guide is not an exhaustive list of every cast member, and character descriptions may contain what can be considered spoilers.
Sheriff Jo Nemwan
Sheriff Newman has no choice but to be tough and stern every second on the job. Her father before her was a sheriff, but as a woman, she has to prove herself to colleagues and inmates every day. Newman’s strength is put to the ultimate test when her jail gets broken into by criminals, and on top of that, alligators come to feast.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Maneater” and “Last Night in Rozzie.”
Russell Cody
Cody is serving time for allegedly killing a cop. Unlike the other inmates, Cody is respectful of Newman’s position and doesn’t want any trouble. But trouble comes to Cody when an old boss breaks into his jail to take him away.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Starship Troopers” and “Sleepy Hollow.”
Review
Our Rating: Negative (Acquired Taste)
Low Points
The Story Doesn’t Embrace the Silliness of Its Premise
Horror movies with killer animals can be especially dumb fun. But in “The Flood,” the story constantly introduces characters to quickly kill them off. Most of the fun deaths either happen underwater or off-screen. If the special effects are going to be this crude and the New Orleans accents this strong, the writing needs to have some fun and know that this movie may not change anyone’s life, but it should be a good time with a friend. Like its forgettable title, “The Flood” can’t muster a single special moment.
On The Fence
Characters Never Rise Above Their Cliches
The actors are all game to have a good time. A cast of mostly men grumbles, sneers, and shouts their lines as they flex muscles and draw guns. Unfortunately, most of the cast is here only to flex a muscle or shoot a gun before getting killed off. All of them could easily be named “Inmate 1” or “Cop 2” with their interchangeable personalities. We don’t even learn much about Cody until the last twenty minutes of the movie.
“The Flood” Feels Like Two Movies Forced Into One
When there’s no killer alligator in “The Flood,” there’s a killer human ready to punch and shoot. The hostage premise and the alligator premise can sometimes feel like two different movies. When they work together or acknowledge each other (like when the cops and criminals have to team up), the movie shows signs of something interesting, but it feels like two thin stories smushed together.
Recommendations
If you like this movie, we recommend:
Check out our movies page for our latest movie reviews and recommendations.
FAQs
Answers to some questions you may have regarding this episode:
Does “The Flood” Setup A Sequel?
While there’s no sequel set up for “The Flood,” one can easily imagine more killer alligators in “The Flood 2: The Floodier Flood.”
Does “The Flood” Have A Mid-Credit or End Credit Scene?
No, Jo and Russell ride off into the sunset on their jet skis.
