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    Don't Breathe

    Reviewed by
    adamwatchesmovies@

    In the trailers advertising “Don’t Breathe”, I saw a dynamite premise. A small cast of characters trapped in a house, trying to avoid a killer? It’s simple but effective, a nail bitter that will slip in some scares to keep you on edge. As I hoped, the film delivers.

    Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette) and Money (Daniel Zovatto) make their living breaking into houses, stealing items and selling the goods. To fund Rocky’s dream of moving away from the wasteland that is Detroit, they decide to rob a blind Man (Stephen Lang) rumored to be holding thousands in cash at home. Once inside, their robbery goes awry and they now find themselves struggling to escape him.

    I want to get my biggest complaint out of the way so I can begin praising this film. At first, I struggled to become invested in this battle to survival. Rocky is a character I found myself cheering for. Alex is pleasant as well to a certain extent (he’s a bit of a wimp but turns around) Money, however, is not a likable character. He’s too much of a delinquent, too rude, too unpleasant. It doesn’t sound like much, but remember this film only features 4 characters. Instantly, I knew that a) Money wasn’t going to make it out alive and b) that when he died, I’d be cheering for the villain instead of the heroes. I’m reminded of “The Collector”, which also featured a thief breaking into a home, only to find a murderer inside. In that picture, you instantly cared for the hero. In this one, it takes a bit but when you do...

    I love how inventive this film is. The Blind Man is better armed, better suited to navigate the home, stronger and more clever than our heroes. It’d be a hopeless situation if it wasn’t for the fact that he can't see. The burglars have to stretch their advantage to the limit: using cellphones to text each other, dancing around his outstretched arms to avoid being detected, using decoy noises to distract their attacker. I get the feeling that once the premise was set up, writers Rodo Sayagues and Fede Alvarez (who also directs) made a list of all the things they could do with the concept of a blind killer and put it all in this fast-paced, lean thriller.

    I went into this film with a tray of nachos and that was a big mistake. There’s great suspense as our characters have to watch where they step, carefully navigating the house they’ve foolishly wandered into. It’s a great game of cat-and-mouse as the thieves wander in different directions, exploring every avenue they can think of while the Blind Man systematically checks where he thinks they might be. I was completely invested. I didn't want to eat those tasty corn chips dipped in nuclear cheese. Sitting in the theater, I knew that the crunching would disturb the silence that was so carefully being constructed by the desperate intruders.

    The film benefits greatly from a strong villain. Stephen Lang has an awesome presence on-screen. He’s frightening and menacing, particularly when he’s methodically checking every corner for his next victim. I love that they give him very little dialogue, but a few key moments at the end to help establish him as a real character.

    I have to give props to the film’s conclusion for two reasons. First, for its relentless escalation. Just when you think the movie is over, a new development comes from just outside your peripheral vision and knocks you off your feet. You never feel like you can take a moment to relax (or take a breath) If you do, you know it’ll be the one mistake that'll cost you. It's much more of a thriller than a picture that will have you too frightened to turn out the lights, but it wins major points from me by being genuinely disturbing. That's the second biggest praise I have for the conclusion. I can't tell you what happens, but you are going to be closing your eyes and plugging your ears hoping that this worst-case scenario doesn't come to pass. Is it unpleasant to think about? You bet it is, but that’s what I like to see in horror films, ideas, and actions that will make general audiences go running for the exit, the stuff that brands itself into your brain and never lets you go.

    “Don’t Breathe” will have you biting your nails in anticipation and it also fills you with a sense of dread that only comes from real horror films. It’s an original tale with a terrific, memorable antagonist that blends thriller and horror elements seamlessly. It’s tight, fast-paced and filled with relentless peril for its antagonists to navigate through. Director Fede Alvarez is proving himself as a man to look out for in the horror genre. I have a few complaints about “Don’t Breathe” but they come in right at the beginning and disappear completely by the time we get to the big climax. It delivers everything I was hoping it would. (Theatrical version on the big screen, September 18, 2016)

    8
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    adamwatchesmovies@  21.9.2016 age: 26-35 2,867 reviews

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