Don't Breathe (2016)
: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/movie/dont-breathe/id1140257478?mt=6&at=1010lrYR
Director: Fede Alvarez
Writers: Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues
Cast: Stephen Lang (The Blind Man), Jane Levy (Rocky), Dylan Minnette (Alex), Daniel Zovatto (Money), Emma Bercovici (Diddy).
Opening Sequence:
Just in time for a Christmas film, right? Guess i just like horror films to much. Nothing wrong here, it's just my thing. Although i have another reason. My wife is just about to have another baby. Yes that's the real reason. Another baby girl is yet to be born. Rogue One was supposedly this weeks review, but instead i decided to review Don't Breathe. I have yet to see Rogue One, and when i do it will be coming soon. Not going to be to late in reviewing the Star wars Anthology film, it's just going to be out a little later, a week later, family first right? At least for my wife it's good.
My wife still hasn't had the baby, but with that being said, i really can't play with fire here. Imagine going to the theater, and alas! A call from my wife. "Take me to the hospital!," I would leave the movies no matter what part that i'm in. Granted it may be in a epic part of the film. Thoughts are going through my head. Just kidding! my leave would be quick, promptly. I would get back home, and take her to the ER. Or better yet, contact my neighbors. Lastly i would like to thank my wife for being so patient with me. I can be a bit of a pain sometimes, and i feel her angst. So this review is dedicated to my lovely wife Melissa.
Review:
Detroit 2016. Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette), and Money (Daniel Zovatto). The three friends break into a house. The large home is filled with many riches, that are stolen by the young thieves. Alex the tech expert, disables the security system, afterwards the group steals what catches their eye, and upon leaving they throw a rock that crashes through the glass. The three friends run, as the alarm sounds off.
Rocky lives with her mother, Ginger (Katia Bokor) which is abusive. Things are even harder with Ginger's boyfriend, Trevor (Sergej Onopko). Rocky promises her little sister of a better place, with a new beginning. In California she can get away from her mother and her endeavors. The life of a thief and all the pain that comes with it, will be gone, washed away. A reoccurring nightmare that has finally come to an end. The dream of a new life, and a promise to her sister will have to be the goal. The dream to change will always be there, a place where her sister can hide. Her goal is to leave with her sister, a promise that will never be broken.
Money (Daniel Zovatto) brings up 30,000 in cash. A large amount of money stashed in this guy's home. The guy lives alone after his daughter was killed in a car accident. He mentions that the guy in the house is a war veteran, and this would be an easy job. Alex declines but later changes his mind, and goes to stalk the the man. They find a huge black dog that protects the home. The veteran is a Blind man, the one thing that they thought would be an easy pick, would later become something more.
The beginning of the film you have three friends finding there way into a home. Breaking inside a house, taking anything that is worth something. I love that you start the film hating the characters, no matter what kind of lives they had. I mean, breaking into a house is a big deal, and yet these three got away with stealing. But, the plot twist is what makes this film so good. The Blind man which was played by Stephen Lang did an amazing job. his performance was creepy, scary, frightening. all the things that make us go bump in the night, Lang heightened senses in the film were so good, but yet the audience became silent with every move, sound. You know a movie is good when the audience reaction is silent. The things that make a horror movie good were there in plain sight, but it was heightened, so much that the moments of scare became powerful enough to see, feel, hear, smell, and yes taste. The scenes were that aggressive, the film makers knew what to do in each scene.
Alex was my favorite character, because he was the smart tech guy who really only was there to impress the girl, Rocky. Money had confronted Alex and told him about Rocky. Basically it was a show of force. I'm the boyfriend, you're the loser dude that gets us in the house. Great scene, it established conflict between the main characters which brought in some tension in a place where they should be focused on not getting caught or killed. Both Jane Levy and Dylan Minnette did a wonderful job connecting with each other. The closet scene was done well, especially if you hate enclosed places. The Blind man walking around, hears a noise, and finds out there is an intruder at first. Intense moment watching the Blind Man turning his head quickly, then slowly and he would then point the gun, shoot in the location he thought had been somebody. Really great scene, it became nerve racking waiting, then watching the thieves get nailed. Stephen Lang did a great job walking through the house with his gun up, pointing in every direction. Pretty intense. the suspense really was heightened. those crucial moments when you think the protagonists have a way out, but in turn realize it's another dead end. Gut wrenching, but a wonderful filming technique that was used well here. Most horror films don't use this well at all, in fact they over use it which kills the film in the box office. Turn the corner before the Blind man gets you moment. Probably the most used in every horror film, but they got it right here. Don't Breathe really played like a real horror film. The scenes were realist as they come. The main characters had issues, they're not good people, but as the film continued you felt horrified at what transpired in that house.
Turn the Corner:
The Blind man turns smoothly, you least expect him to be around that corner fast, but yet he is very close. This made me want to jump back inside the couch. The moment when he smells the odor of the sneakers scene was done to perfection. The suspense was more than enough to not want to watch the next scene, but i did, even though the scenes were very nerve racking. The main core of the movie was the way the director made use of those things we take for granted. The film really did make use of those elements. The gist of the film is a make up of the five senses, which the director Fede Alvarez does well. The film does not stop, it keeps you on your feet, till the very end. The essence of a horror film is the senses. When you could establish all those elements then you have a great film. The characters were afraid of the Blind Man. At first they thought it would be easy pickings, but instead the reality became clear when they confronted something out of the ordinary. The original concepts were established, a mere walk in the park. Horror movies of this kind, especially the good ones are very difficult to make, especially when the story changes from Act 1. By the final Act you're almost gasping for air. The film hits you hard, and that is what i liked the most. The way it came at you. Rocky running from the Blind Man, then the dog, and again getting caught. Her escape wasn't without effort.
Films like these should be number one all the time. The very first Scream film was a break through. The characters in the film were fictional, but true to what was written. The girls that story usually run from the bad guy, they're smarter than the serial killer, main antagonist. Imagine a dark room, would you go in? In most circumstances we do not go in a dark room with out a flashlight or something like our phones that aid us. The dark basement will never be checked without huge source of light. The light would have to be filling the room in order for the person to investigate. I guess this is why i like this film so much. I highly recommend it. The Scream film isn't your usual horror film, it's not the replayed mess that's out there, even today. To be scared is something special, and to do it right is something more altogether. Horror movies that are rehashed lose those crucial moments. Experiences that classics are made of. Don't Breathe is not your humdrum movie, it takes you to another place. Horror films should be scary, suspenseful not the opposite. The serial killer theme is good but overplayed, the Jason with the mask isn't scary anymore. The main reason is the Hollywood bigwigs that seem to think there film will make them a buck, but instead fail every time.
Hollywood should strive to make something new, innovative. Imagine if the only car you had to drive is a Ford Fusion. Not that i have an issue with that car, it's that there should be more to choose from. Hollywood should make good fresh films. Instead of the rehashed crap that's out there. Don't Breathe was fresh. The director had a vision, went with it, and constructed his story beautifully. The film did not hold back from the beginning till the very end. Do i recommend this film, yes, in every way. I also recommend the first Scream film from 1996. The Scream films to me, at least the first three are great. The story of a young girl and the serial killer in a small town in California. Wonderful story as well as the acting, at least what you could get in 1996,1997, and 2000. The follow ups were good because it finally closed the story, but as they went on the originality of the main concept, like the ghost face killer fades. Horror films are difficult to make because of just that, original concepts that could be made into a box office hit, or the under ground cult classic may pay the price, and fail at the box office. The price to making a horror film is huge.
Here are examples of box office horror films, since i mentioned Scream lets show you the trend at the box office. Scream (1996) 14,000,000 budget, an opening weekend of 6,354,586, and an explosive world wide 161,600,000 gross. Scream 2 (1997) the budget this time around was 24,000,000. Opening weekend a little better, about 33,000,000. The final gross was about 172,334,374. Scream 3 (2000) a budget of 40,000,000 and a decline in the US market about 34,713,076 opening weekend. World wide gross 152,338,076. And finally Scream 4 (2011) 40,000,000 in the budget, a huge decline in the American market. 2,061,885. The final world wide gross was about 73,717,817. The moral of this story, is simply when you have something good, try and keep it that way. Ruining the story and memorable characters create a flop at the box office. The trilogy i could understand, but to make another film afterwards is not saying much about Hollywood.
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