Having employed a ferociously violent aesthetic in rebooting Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead (2013), director Fede Alvarez takes a decidedly different approach with Don’t Breathe, an intriguing siege thriller that capitalizes on effective moments of suspense rather than the usual horror tropes to get audiences creeping towards the edge of their seats. Running a taut 88 minutes, the script by Rodo Sayagues and Alvarez takes its time to provide completely rendered characters before throwing them into a sticky wicket of a situation, thus ensuring that we’re emotionally invested in their plight.
The film takes place in Detroit, which has come to be seen as the go-to metaphor for a city of the dead, what with other recent horror fare such as Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) and It Follows (2014) taking place there as well. It proves an effective background here, too, as much of the action takes place within a single, well-maintained house in a neighborhood of ruins – homes left abandoned to rot, having been vacated by those who’ve fled for greener economic pastures. The Blind Man (Stephen Lang) enjoys this seclusion as he’s gone into hiding, having lost his eyesight in the Gulf War as well as his beloved daughter in a tragic auto accident. Rumor has it he received a hefty settlement because of this and that he has it all in cash, secured in his house. Rocky, Alex and Money (Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette and Daniel Zovatto) are counting on this, as these three young, aimless adults are tired of the small scores they’ve been getting knocking over random homes. They need the Blind Man’s cash and they’ll do anything to get it.
The premise is deceptively simple, leaving the audience vulnerable to the surprises Alvarez has in store. Working with his cinematographer Pedro Luque, the director creates a house suffused in darkness and shadow, a residential trap for the three ne’er-do-wells into which they wander unwittingly, becoming the prey for the owner who knows this structure like the back of his hand. Many clever moments revolve around near encounters between the thieves and the victim, but it doesn’t take long before the tables are turned, as one unexpected trap leads to another.
What’s fun about Breathe is that just when you think the premise is just about to run out of steam, Alvarez and Sayagues pull the rug out from under us with one surprise after another. Granted, the plot holes get bigger and bigger as the story grinds on, with logic as collateral damage in the quest for thrills. However, there’s no doubt that this exercise is very clever and may have you chuckling in amusement over the audacity of some of its situations. Of particular note is a scene that finds Alex having actually escaped from the house only to find himself pulled back in. A sequence in the basement in which the Blind Man turns off all the lights and the three thieves find themselves on equal visual footing with him rivals the climax of The Silence of the Lambs in terms of suspense.
Like so many movies today, Alvarez and Sayagues struggle to find a satisfactory ending and what they settle on is rather pedestrian, particularly in light of the innovative storytelling witnessed in the first two acts. Be that as it may, there’s no doubt that Don’t Breathe is a satisfying fun house ride that succeeds thanks to the conviction of the four excellent leads as well as Alvarez’s take no prisoners, logic-be-damned approach. In the end, he gives fans of the horror genre exactly what they want – effective thrills, a couple of laughs and a satisfying, cathartic experience.
For an interview with Fede Alvarez and Stephen Lang and reviews of Kubo and the Two Strings and Ben-Hur, go the Cinemascoping Blog at http://illinoistimes.com.
Contact Chuck Koplinski at [email protected].
