'Best horror film' of last year 'loved' by Stephen King now streaming on Netflix

A divisive horror movie that was praised by some fans as the "best horror film of 2024" is now streaming on Netflix.

The movie, which earned seriously mixed reviews, has been praised by horror author Stephen King and has even been compared to movies made by legendary director Steven Spielberg.

Night Swim, which was released in cinemas in January 2024, has found a new home on the streaming platform and is quickly climbing the Netflix Top 10 films chart and currently sits at number 2 in the UK.

The film, which stars Thunderbolts actor Wyatt Russell and The Banshees of Inisherin's Kerry Condon, follows a former baseball star who is compelled to retire early due to a degenerative condition.

The synopsis on Rotten Tomatoes reads: "Based on the acclaimed 2014 short film by Rod Blackhurst and Bryce McGuire, the film stars Wyatt Russell as Ray Waller, a former major league baseball player forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, who moves into a new home with his concerned wife Eve (Kerry Condon), teenage daughter Izzy (Amélie Hoeferle) and young son Elliot (Gavin Warren).

"Secretly hoping, against the odds, to return to pro ball, Ray persuades Eve that the new home's shimmering backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for him.

"But a dark secret in the home's past will unleash a malevolent force that will drag the family under, into the depths of inescapable terror."

The film has a dismal 19% critic score and 42% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, but some fans insist it is actually a masterpiece, with horror legend King sharing his love for the film online.

He wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter: "I loved THE NIGHT SWIM (Amazon Prime). It's like a lost, low-budget Steven Spielberg film from Spielberg's early period...say, after DUEL but before JAWS.

"Simple story, but...the cat on the diving board! And those creepy bunny slippers!"

It seems plenty of viewers agree with King, with one writing on Rotten Tomatoes: "This movie was amazing. I loved it. When I seen the previews I said I have to see it."

"Everything I could have possibly wanted from a movie about a haunted pool. 5/5 stars. No notes," a second added, while another agreed: "I was scared. I was entertained. 5 stars."

"I loved it. The kind of horror movie you watch in a Halloween day," another penned, as one more admitted: "The movie was scary and it did not scare in theaters but when I got home I was scared of taking a bath."

However, not everyone was a fan, with one person writing: "A haunted swimming pool. Yeah, it's as naff as it sounds."

"One of the worst movies I've ever seen," another complained, as one more added: "Incredibly boring, and the effects look horrible."

Meanwhile, another fan on Reddit shared glowing praise for the movie, declaring: "Night Swim is the best horror film of 2024."

Night Swim is available to stream now on Netflix.