Breathing Actually Will Be Difficult

Rating: 8/10 (3 September 2016)

Don't Breathe seems like nothing more than a gimmicky premise parading around as an unique thriller. Luckily, it's more than that. Eschewing the uniquitous teeny-centric scare-fests we are so often bridled with, director Alvarez has sidestepped convention to give us a brutal genre picture full of "What in the world?!" surprises and jaw-dropping twists. Thanks to the strength in its accomplished direction and focused scope, Don't Breathe is a pull-no-punches, edge-of-your-seat nightmare. It's a reverse of the home-invasion story, like a slightly less compelling (although more purely plotted) version of 10 Cloverfield Lane: a group of burglars is terrorized by the homeowner, blind war veteran who is more than meets the eye. Alvrez's direction is unexpectedly strong, as the clever camera work and immense details pull us right in. In particular, the way a blind person may setup up their home is perfectly realized (empty rooms, backwards-facing TVs). On top of that, the fight scenes are well-staged and the sound editing mixed with the score beautifully manipulates the tension. The characters, unfortunately, are not as successful. The cool meta-element that speaks of film-going voyeurism gets a bit lost when the characters aren't quite engaging enough. A movie-personification of the axiom "hurt people hurt people", and Lang as the blind, pseudo-villain is the only real high-point as an effectively imposing and volatile presence. Otherwise, the motivations range from clichéd to weak, desperately needing more layers and better dialogue (again, see 10 Cloverfield Lane). Luckily, when you're deep inside this joylessly demented thriller, it's roller-coaster scares are the perfect post-summer escape at the theaters.