Review of Don't Breathe (2016) by Glenn G — 26 Sep 2016

GASP! - My Review of DON'T BREATHE (4 Stars).

Since childhood, I've been a huge fan of the home invasion thriller. When I saw such classics as WAIT UNTIL DARK and LADY IN A CAGE, I worried that somebody was going to break in and hold my family hostage. Unlike fantasy-based horror films, home invasions always felt possible. I'm still more scared of a knock on my door in the middle of the night than I am of being possessed by a demon.

Since the aforementioned films, other good ones have come along, such as THE STRANGERS, HUSH, and THEM from 2006, but for me, Michael Haneke's FUNNY GAMES remains the definitive statement for this genre. It deconstructed the storytelling while still remaining excruciatingly heart-stopping. Well, 2016, there's still hope for greatness, and it has arrived in the form of DON'T BREATHE. Ok, it has none of the self-awareness or dark, sly humor of FUNNY GAMES, but it more than makes up for it with vivid direction, perfectly pitched performances, and tension that never lets up. While pinging on such films as SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, PANIC ROOM, ALIENS, TIE ME UP! TIE ME DOWN!, and CUJO (!), director Fede Alvarez (EVIL DEAD reboot) and co-writer Rodo Sayagues have created something unique, a lean thriller with complicated dynamics.

After a haunting and mysterious opening shot, it becomes clear right away that you're in good directorial hands. The scene starts very high and wide over Detroit and descends closer and closer to reveal something strange and nefarious. I loved the suspense of the shot, how your mind races trying to figure out what you're seeing, and then when you see it, you don't quite understand what it is.

Soon enough we're introduced to three petty thieves, Rocky (Jane Levy), Money (Daniel Zovatto), and Alex (Dylan Minnette) who plan to break into the home of a man who may be stashing a fortune in cash there. The very economical script lays out relationships and motivations rather succinctly and deftly shows how it's possible to empathize with this group despite their moral lapses. Minnette, who has already proven himself to be a fine actor in PRISONERS and LET ME IN, has that rare ability to connect with audiences through his eyes. Levy, who hails from SUBURGATORY, literally kicks ass in this role, carrying most of the action sequences and keeping us constantly guessing if she's a good person or not. Zovatto (IT FOLLOWS, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD), in full Jared Leto PANIC ROOM dreads, does the bad guy well.

I won't spoil the big twists in this film, but the one advertised in the trailer, that the owner (Stephan Lang of AVATAR fame) is blind, seems essential to discuss. After the break-in, the trio soon discovers that he's in the house. In one of the most chilling edits in the film, we see Lang suddenly propped up in bed, senses alerted to the intruders. It's one of the most effective cuts in any film I've seen this year. No slouch, Lang's character has the ability to physically and mentally control the situation, trapping the trio inside. Able to smell them or hear them more easily than most, Lang stalks through the house with alarming urgency. His use of body language and facial expressions along with his deep well of anguish makes this one of my favorite performances he's ever given.

From here comes one twist after another, escalating violence and constantly shifting loyalties. Things turn surprisingly grotesque with an S/M bent at one point, and I promise you you'll never look at a turkey baster the same way again. This is crackling, visceral suspense, with such tropes as cracked glass, a bigger, scarier basement than the one in SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, and a dog that just won't stop growling, all of them somehow transcending their cliches.

At the screening I attended, the audience applauded one character's victory over another, and it struck me as a fascinating reaction, considering every character existed in grey areas. I think it's what makes DON'T BREATHE such a fantastic addition to the genre. It doesn't hurt that Alvarez has been gifted with Cinematographer Pedro Luque. This team make such concise framing choices and truly know how to find tension in almost every shot. At the end of the day, this is a genre film, but its sustained tension from first frame to last elevates its status to a cut way above.