Edge-of-the-seat!

Rating: 9/10 (27 August 2016)

The movie is not entirely a fresh novelty, the typical home invasion movie but what we don't know is that the inmate living in that house makes the concept different. The eccentric man and apparently blind pretty much turns the tables on three thieving teens in this thriller.
The movie starts off pretty slow, but it gives much space for the characters to develop their respective story. What makes this movie even greater is that Fede Alvarez, the director of the Evil Dead remake, delivers only 4 major characters on the screen if you don't count the feral dog. Overall, it has a strong plot and unique vibe to it, as it relies more on visual storytelling and sounds to drive the film rather than plenty of dialogue.
Once the three amateur thieves step inside the shadowy house, that's when it is fuelled by old-school suspense. It's very realistic from the moment they break into that blind man's house, asking from the perspective of how, why and what. The discreet environment can make someone's heart beating so fast. There are times where everything goes silent and it's incredible considering how the audience freezes and no one wants to make a single sound even when you're chewing popcorns. Not everything silent though, there are a few parts when the ominous music plays in the background, people just keep watching, waiting for something to be revealed. It's incredibly intense which literally leaves you breathless. The one thing I have in similar with this director is the cinematography. The way how the director angles the motion of every picture. It's very much like how I imagine it, the style of bringing the cameras with a very smooth touch especially 5 minutes after they break into the vicinity of the house.
Every movie has its black area, the thing that I feel a little over- the-top is the predictable moments, FOR SOMEONE WHO WATCHES A LOT OF MOVIE. It comes out a little too strong, but somehow it manages to capture my heart.
Stephen Lang once said throughout the filming process, he couldn't really see anything as he wore scleral contact lenses. How hard is it for someone to do that? You answer it for yourself.
This must be in my top 5 list movies of 2016. It is intriguing and the kind of movie you would want to stay at the edge-of-your-seat.