Review of Breaking In (2018) by Benskylerhill — 10 May 2018

Breaking In is not a terrible movie, just a completely unnecessary one. It brings absolutely nothing new to the cinematic table and is a complete rehash of bits and pieces from older, better movies like Panic Room. If you can name a home-invasion thriller cliché, it's definitely present in this film in some form or another, and in abundance.

I'll start with the positives here. For the most part, it's a well-directed movie. Much of the cinematography is nice to look at, providing a visual atmosphere that effectively sets a tension-filled tone. But that's about all the good I can say about it. Where the direction fails in its purpose entirely is in the action sequences. Every fight in Breaking In is ridiculous to watch. It doesn't look real, it's dragged out to unnecessarily long lengths, and the only reason the action carries on is because the characters make stupid decisions that, if avoided, could have ended the story in minutes. In addition to that, there are some parts that are shot in slow-motion for no reason whatsoever and I found myself laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it all. These flaws completely deflate any tension that was built up over the course of the story.

The acting is far from awful, but certainly does not contain any stand-out performances. That's mostly due to the fact that the writing is often lazy, forced, and cheesy, and the characters are built in such a way that they just add to the list of clichés. You've got the level-headed thug who takes the lead, the brutal one who suggests that any violent action is justified, and the one who just wants the money and is too scared to resort to violence. The crew of antagonists is literally exactly the same as the ones in Panic Room and every other movie of this genre.

It's clear that everyone involved in this production was trying to make a good film. There's a lot of talent present behind the camera and the actors really do their best, but it's a real shame that the premise and script inevitably result in a generic thriller that cannot overcome its tropes.

Story: 2.

Acting: 7.

Script: 2.

Visuals/Sound: 6.

Entertainment Value: 4.

OVERALL SCORE: 4.