Wild Swimmers Review: Rickety Low-Budget Horror Finds Something to Worry About in the Water
In Ric Rawlins' West Country vampire film Wild Swimmers, a student journalist investigates chilling mysteries lurking below the surface of the River Avon. What hides beneath can be dangerous, as any wild swimmer understands all too well. This film presents something genuinely concerning in the water, though it's not a documentary advocating for cleaner rivers. The threat here isn't E coli bacteria but rather a centuries-old river-dwelling vampire creature.
Amateur Charm and Atmospheric Tension
Written and directed by music journalist turned film-maker Ric Rawlins, Wild Swimmers follows his 2023 debut Rewilding as another shoestring outsider horror set in the West Country. The film features amateurishly acted performances by non-professionals and maintains a rickety quality that viewers will either find charming or consider a tedious chore. Valerie Kwok portrays Deji, a journalism student from Hong Kong investigating a series of mysterious deaths occurring in the River Avon.
Deji tracks down a retired police officer who previously investigated the 2018 death of a teenage girl officially recorded as a drowning. Something felt distinctly wrong about the case, the officer reveals to Deji. A witness described the girl being seemingly pulled beneath the water's surface, while the postmortem examination identified unusual snake bites on her neck. The plot grows increasingly absurd as the body count rises, with Deji joined in her truth-seeking mission by photographer Kim, played by Caroline Murray.
Horror Without Traditional Scares
Wild Swimmers presents itself as a horror film yet lacks even the faintest whiff of conventional scares. The blood effects resemble simple food dye, while the daft amphibious antagonist shows no apparent disturbance from sunlight exposure. What does generate genuine unease is the River Avon itself, captured with mist rising from its surface at sunrise, appearing mysterious and wild while capable of concealing secrets beneath its currents.
As a genre, horror frequently reflects contemporary anxieties, but Wild Swimmers isn't sharply written enough to reveal clear environmental messages or suggest deeper hidden terrors. Despite its technical limitations, the film may still attract cult status among certain audiences. Wild Swimmers premieres at Create Studios in Swindon on March 18 before embarking on a tour to additional venues.
