an excellent and fresh take on the home invasion sub genre

Rating: 8/10 (30 August 2016)

don't breathe is director Fede Alvarez's sophomore effort and I will say it is definitely a success. coming off of evil dead (2013) Fede needed a hit he could call his own. he delivers. don't breathe has some good camera work. nothing super fancy but it does the film justice and uses its setting to the fullest advantage. the setting being the old blind mans house, it is very claustrophobic and dimly lit. creating a very tension filled atmosphere in which the director is able to create some real suspense. the aspect of the "victim" (the old man) being blind also adds to the suspense, characters are holding their breathe and crouching and what not to avoid being captured and each time a scene like this occurs the tension is undeniable. the movie becomes an unnerving thrill ride of cat and mouse. it is no doubt entertaining to watch. something I must give this movie props for is its amazing lighting. in scenes of pure darkness we can still depict what is going on on-screen without the atmosphere and disorienting urgency of the scene being extinguished. the unique thing about this telling of a simple story though is that the tables turn. in terms of who we are rooting for and why. our main characters would normally be considered "bad people" for breaking into this old blind mans house in the first place. but at the same time the lead character played by Jane levy (who by the way gives us another excellent performance in this film) has a legitimate reason for doing what she is doing. her supporting character (his name escapes me) is also revealed to be heroic and noble. eventually we learn this old blind man isn't so innocent and the tables have suddenly turned. these terrible people who broke into a poor old blind mans house become our anti heroes and the "victim (the blind man) becomes our villain. Stephen Lang does an amazing job as the blind man giving us a truly memorable and terrifying performance. the sound design is another key component to what makes this film work so well. every creak in the floor boards add to the already overwhelming tension. as I have already mentioned the film is very, very suspenseful. I am sure it will be enjoyed by many for years to come.
the verdict: 8.5/10