The success of
Scream led to a renaissance of slasher films in Hollywood, but it also inspired other cinema industries to begin delivering similar content, trying to beat American competition by providing more exploitation material than those that could be expected within the limits of Hollywood's PG-13 rating. One example of such an approach can be seen in
Swimming Pool, a 2001 German film directed by Boris von Sichowsky (also distributed under the alternative title
The Pool).
The plot is set in Prague where a group of students from an elite international prep school have decided to celebrate their upcoming graduation by throwing a memorable party. They pick a large indoor swimming complex as the venue, despite it being closed. Thanks to Martin (played by Jason Ligget), an American student who used to work there, they break into the complex, hoping to enjoy a night of drinking and sex. However, it soon turns out that a masked man armed with a machete begins to kill them one by one. When they realise what is going on, it also turns out that someone has them locked within the complex and severed all phone lines, thus preventing any escape. Survivors now have to figure out a way to escape or confront the killer who might be someone within their own ranks.
Although its premise isn't too original and although it generally uses many annoying clichés, Swimming Pool succeeds in delivering the goods to the fans of the genre, at least to a degree. Production values look decent, the film is adequately directed and visually appealing, with the setting serving as an excellent excuse to feature a young, good-looking cast wearing nothing but bathing costumes or, in some cases, being nude. Somewhat laxer censorship standards also mean somewhat more graphic violence, including a rather original way of killing, although used in a scene that doesn't make much sense when someone would think about its practicality. Boris von Sichovsky acquits himself near the end when he directs a suspenseful scene of escape. The international setting allows the use of mostly young, but diverse cast, made of actors who weren't famous at the time, making the ultimate fate of their characters hard to predict until the end. Some among the cast, like Scottish actor James McAvoy or American actress Kristen Miller, would later become stars and get much better roles, but Swimming Pool, although not a particularly memorable film, isn't part of their careers they should be ashamed of.
RATING: 5/10 (++)
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https://youtu.be/8RQL-rwjRIw?si=h2UHFpuW_NNzXet5