Don't Breathe

Don't Breathe

Starring Jane Levy, Stephen Lang, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto

Directed by Fede Alvarez

The Story:
In inner city Detroit, Rocky (Jane Levy), her boyfriend Money (Daniel Zovatto) and their friend Alex (Dylan Minnette) make a living robbing houses.  Each of them has their own motivations: Money for the money, Alex because he not-so-secretly pines for Rocky, and Rocky so she can take her young sister away from their neglectful mother and move to California. 

The robberies have been petty and rather unfruitful until Money hears of a house belonging to an old Army vet in the middle of the most run-down area of Detroit, a place devoid of neighbors.  His daughter was killed and he was awarded a $300,000 settlement that is inside the house.  They plan on robbing the man - despite the fact that he's blind.  However, they get more than they bargained for when the Blind Man (Stephen Lang) shows proficiency in protecting his home, his money, and the secrets that lie within.

The Synopsis:
There's been a few really fantastic horror films in the past few years.  "The Witch," "It Follows" and "The Babadook" are three of the more unique, terrifying horror films that have come to prominence.  Could we add Fede Alvarez's beautifully claustrophobic "Don't Breathe" to that list?  Maybe not to that caliber, but it's still an enjoyable ride through a world of dark descent.  Even though it still holds to several horror tropes that muddy the waters, it's still a rather tense, tight thriller that dives right into the suspense from the start and keeps you glued to the screen.

The story is something that is truly terrifying because, like "The Strangers," it's something that's totally plausible and could happen to anyone: the concept of a home invasion.  There's fewer things people fear more than having their home - their place of security, protection, and comfort - invaded by evil outside forces.  No matter what their motives are, Rocky, Alex and Money are essentially criminals breaking the law and invading the private space of other people in order to make their own lives better. 

Here is one issue with this film: there really is no one to truly root for.  Generally, there's a protagonist and antagonist, a yin and a yang, good battling evil.  However, we're supposed to be rooting for three hoodlums who desire to rob an old blind man of the money he received from a settlement after his own daughter was killed.  Not necessarily the most honorable of protagonists. 

Then there's the old man himself.  Typically, you'd be wanting to root for him, since there's three outside forces trying to come against him due to no fault of his own.  He's just an old, helpless, lonely blind man who is minding his own business and mourning the loss of his little girl.  However, there's a much darker side to this man as well that comes to light, and we're left with absolutely no one to root for.

While that's a hindrance to the film, there's the addition to the one-dimensional characterizations as well.  Rocky is the Will Smith of the picture - she's doing the wrong things, but for the right reasons.  She wants a better life for herself and her younger sister, and instead of finding a reputable job, she resorts to breaking the law in order to achieve it.  She wants to do right by doing wrong, which is a morally polarizing situation to find oneself in. 

Alex is the obvious best friend who wants to break the friendzone with Rocky, and will follow pretty much blindly into any situation she pulls him into.  He's the nice guy to the extreme, very droll, and incredibly hapless.  Money is your typical wannabe gangster who lives only to make money and live up to his namesake.

The Blind Man has the most character development as we see very different sides to him, both dark and light, both helpless and strong.  Alongside Rocky, he serves as her fodder for being her enemy, and vice versa.  The two brilliantly perform an impassioned  dance that is equal parts darkly beautiful and downright terrifying.  Not getting into spoilers, but there's certain moments where you're wondering what the heck is actually happening, how it could happen, and why. 

Where the film shines is in its brilliant cinematographer, Pedro Luque.  While other horror films rely on cheap jump scares and jittery camerawork, Luque establishes the mood by wonderfully crafting a suspenseful tale taking place in the confines of a small home that often seems bigger than it should.  There was one particular moment when the teens first enter the house and investigate it where we're gifted with one long camera take that shows the claustrophobic nature of the house, and includes us as the audience as the fourth intruder.  One scene where Rocky is traversing through air ducts and passages just wide enough to support her small frame hearkens throwbacks to "Alien" and "The Descent" that makes anyone claustrophobic cringe in fear.  In this respect, the film shines in its premise of establishing a dark mood filled with hopelessness and despair.

When I saw the trailer, I was wondering how they were struck in the house, which was answered in a way that really made sense and established the Blind Man as more than just a mere mark, yet it also seemed that the teens had several opportunities to take him down before things escalated, but if they did, then the movie would've been a lot shorter than it was.  

As the film nears the climax, it seems that Alvarez abandons tense mood for shock value, but it's something that was needed to move the story forward.  While it could've been cut by about ten minutes, it's still a satisfying whole of a tale of utter depravity and despair, taking place in one of the most depressing cities in America.

The Summary:
While the film doesn't successfully flush out rich, deep characterizations and sometimes travels to the tropes of past films, "Don't Breathe" succeeds in delivering a taunt, tight thriller taking place in the confines of a small, secluded house with a deadly cat-and-mouse game between two polarizing characters.

The Score: A-