"Don't Breathe" Review

Title: Don't Breathe

Directed by: Fede Alvarez

Written by: Fede Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues

Year: 2016


It is not often that I will watch a horror film, let alone seek one out in theatres. But the concept of this movie in particular was too intriguing to pass up. 2016 has been a very good year for horror movies so far, as The Witch, The Conjuring 2, and Lights Out have all received praise from both critics and audiences. Should you not hold your breath for this one, or can it continue this great horror streak?

Three criminals have decided to rob a house that reportedly has a lot of money. To top it all off, the man in the house is blind. However, as the robbers soon find out, this is the last man you want to mess with, and now the robbers struggle to find a way out while the blind man chases them.

Usually, horror pictures are populated with poor actors who are trying to start their career (and hardly ever do). But in Don't Breathe, the three young actors that portray the robbers are actually very good. Daniel Zovatto excels at getting under the skin and making you dislike him. Dylan Minnette plays the voice of reason in the group and he is the most relatable character. He appropriately does not gel with the other two members of the group; his personality makes him an outsider, much like the audience is. Jane Levy is the most impressive of the three, essentially the protagonist of this story. Her character undergoes the most change and Levy does a great job.

However, Stephen Lang is the real star of this movie. He plays the blind man and his presence is absolutely magnetic. Lang is not given many lines, but his physical acting is stellar. When he is on screen, all eyes are on him. When he is not, all you can do is think about him. Lang gives a very effective performance, and when he does speak, he becomes all the more terrifying. His menacing presence is aided by the cinematography, which often shoots him from a low angle, amplifying his imposing and intimidating appearance. He is most definitely the highlight of this movie.

The most interesting aspect of this picture is how it paints its characters. You would assume that you would be rooting for the old man, who is the victim in this situation. That is what I expected, at least. But as the plot progresses and you find out more about this man, you may find yourself rooting for the robbers. The film does a good job at obscuring moral clarity, as neither party is in the right. It comes down to who is less culpable. Employing this theme was a brilliant move on the filmmakers' part as it gives this home invasion film a more layered structure.

Speaking of home invasion, Don't Breathe takes this familiar concept and flips it on its head. It begins as your standard home invasion flick, but quickly changes to a survival story as these teens are trying to escape from this man's home. As a result, the film functions as a well-thought-out thriller that consistently generates tension at every turn. Nearly every sequence will have you gripping your armrest with anticipation and fear.

In terms of scares, Don't Breathe will give you your fill. The filmmakers understand the concept of horror. Being placed in a helpless situation that only deteriorates is frightening. The movie keeps jump scares to a minimum, and when they are used, they are not false scares (with the exception of one cheap jump scare in the beginning). The cluttered rooms and narrow hallways give the picture a claustrophobic and closed atmosphere that will leave you short of breath. The camera slowly pans and tracks throughout the house, leaving corners and doorways obscured, always having you guessing where the old man is.

One of my favorite techniques used was how they cut the old man's movements. It is very similar to how the Weeping Angels from Doctor Who are filmed. In one shot, the old man will be in one position. The camera looks away for a moment, and when it returns to its previous spot, the old man has either changed position or moved. This works to unnerving effect. I also love the color contrast at play. In horror, this technique, which the Italian director Mario Bava made famous, has been practiced to elicit an uneasy nature in the viewer. Using two colors that are opposites of each other (like green and magenta, orange and blue, etc.) causes a sense of negativity and fear. In this case, orange and blue hues are abundant throughout the movie.

Unfortunately, some of the scares are predictable. Just by reading the camerawork and the blocking of the actors, it was easy for me to tell when a scare was coming. This did not detract from the thrill of the moment, but it took away the surprise factor for me. Once you become aware of the compositional stress applied to a frame, you can expect a surprise to come. However, one thing I did not see coming was the plot point that arose in the basement. There is a major twist in this movie that completely changes the stakes and morality of the characters. I dare not spoil it here, but it came out of left-field in all the right ways and increased the magnitude of the situation ten times over.

Another minor issue I had with the film was its conclusion. The film appears to end one way, fading to black. But then one more scene plays, revealing something about one of the characters. I have no problem with the scene itself, but what it implies is what I take issue with. It depicts one of the characters as being morally correct when in fact that is not true. It weakens the foundation that the majority of the picture had set up.

Don't Breathe is an especially well-made horror-thriller. Each scene is wrought with tension and the thrills do not cease until the credits begin to roll. The cast is solid, with Lang being the impressive standout; the techniques employed by the cinematographer are well-crafted and admirable; the plot is severely interesting; and the the morality within the piece is constantly in question. Though I found some of the scares to be predictable and the conclusion a slight betrayal of the excellent structure, neither detracted much from the film. Don't Breathe is a quality horror movie that you should definitely give a watch.

Grade: A-