The Flood (2023) — Survival, Suspense, and What Could Rise Next

In a cinematic landscape crowded with creature features and survival thrillers, The Flood (2023) slithers into the genre with a simple but effective premise: a group of people trapped during a natural disaster, stalked by relentless predators. It’s not high-concept cinema, but it knows exactly what it is — and delivers the suspense, action, and creature chaos that fans expect.

Directed by Brandon Slagle, The Flood blends disaster film tension with B-movie reptilian horror. Think Snakes on a Plane meets Crawl, with a storm-soaked prison break twist. It’s gritty, fast-paced, and self-aware — the kind of film that doesn’t overstay its welcome, but gives you a wild ride while it lasts.

Set in Louisiana during a Category 5 hurricane, the film begins with a routine prisoner transport that quickly spirals into chaos. As the storm intensifies, the transport is forced to take shelter in a remote, partially evacuated police station. But the weather isn’t the only threat. Rising floodwaters have brought something else into town — a swarm of aggressive, man-eating alligators.

As floodwaters trap the building, the prisoners, guards, and a few unlucky civilians must fight to survive both each other and the deadly predators swimming through the halls. Alliances form and break under pressure, and it becomes clear that not everyone is getting out alive — and maybe not everyone deserves to.

The cast includes Nicky Whelan, Casper Van Dien, and Louis Mandylor — all of whom lean fully into their roles, adding just enough dramatic weight to sell the tension without taking the material too seriously. It’s pulpy, fun, and filled with just the right amount of gory reptile violence.

The Flood isn’t trying to reinvent the survival thriller, and that’s part of its charm. It thrives on classic elements: confined spaces, unpredictable characters, and a relentless natural threat. The tension is real, and the claustrophobic setting adds to the pressure. The gator attacks are well-paced, mixing practical effects with digital ones that, while not perfect, are serviceable for a film of this scale.

What elevates the film is its pacing. At just under 90 minutes, it moves quickly, building up suspense and delivering solid action without unnecessary detours. The dialogue may be thin in places, but it serves its purpose — and some of the morally gray dynamics between prisoners and guards add a welcome layer of human drama.

The film’s biggest weakness is its predictability. Anyone familiar with creature features or disaster movies will likely guess most of the plot beats before they happen. Character development is minimal, and aside from a few standout moments, the film doesn’t dig very deep.

There are also a few logistical stretches — moments where characters survive near-impossible situations or make bizarre choices just to move the plot forward. But again, if you're watching The Flood, you’re here for suspense and creature carnage, not airtight realism.

Given the film’s modest success with genre fans, a sequel could absolutely be in the cards. A follow-up — The Flood: Depths of Vengeance, for example — could take the story in darker, deeper directions.

Imagine this: months after the storm, the government has sealed off parts of the flooded town, but rumors persist of mutated gators nesting in the wreckage, growing more intelligent and aggressive. A corporate team arrives, trying to capture one alive for research. But the local survivors — including one or two returning characters — know better.

This time, the story could expand into the swamps, with a deeper dive into environmental consequences and the ethical questions of animal experimentation. The tone could shift slightly toward Aliens-style action-horror, with a stronger team dynamic, more varied locations, and bigger, smarter creatures.

It could also explore the emotional fallout of the original film’s events. Survivors might be dealing with PTSD or guilt. A former convict might now be an unlikely hero, fighting to protect a community that once condemned him.

The Flood (2023) is a tight, stormy thrill ride that knows exactly what it wants to be. It’s not high art, but it doesn’t need to be. With a suspenseful setup, high-stakes creature attacks, and a fun ensemble of characters, it earns its place among the better modern B-movie horror thrillers.

And while it wraps up its core story neatly, the world it creates — one of rising waters, unchecked nature, and desperate survival — has plenty more room to expand. If a sequel ever emerges from the depths, fans will likely be ready to dive back in.Because when nature fights back, sometimes the real monsters aren't just in the water — they’re inside us.