The standout horror movie of the year

Rating: 8/10 (6 February 2017)

A relentlessly brutal, frill-free horror, it pits three reckless teens against a battle-hardened enemy who takes no prisoners and who keeps them on the run within the confines of a run-down house where every floor board can give them away. Turning stories of blind victims as well as of similar home invasions on their head, the film catches you by surprise as it builds its own central premise: of robbers desperate to get out.
Speaking of the premise, I advise you to watch this movie cold. The less you know about it the better. In fact, if you're overly finicky about even the slightest spoilers, wait till you've seen the movie before reading on. Not that there are going to be spoilers, but sometimes, simply knowing that there is going to be a twist is distracting enough.
The mark (a menacing Stephen Lang), it is revealed, is an unstoppable force of nature.
This isn't just any old home invasion thriller, even though it owes a great debt to classics like The Last House on the Left, Straw Dogs or Panic Room. It takes the conventions of the genre and doesn't so much flip them on their head as it shoots them in the face. Point blank. It understands the limitations of the genre and works wonders within them.
While the film manages to smartly get back on its feet, it is clear Alvarez got greedy and extended Don't Breathe past its ideal running time. The thing is — and here is what makes Don't Breathe the standout horror of this year — you may be holding your breath till the last.