Don't Breathe 2

Don't Breathe 2
Starring Stephen Lang, Madelyn Grace, Brendan Sexton III, Adam Young
Directed by Rodo Sayagues

"Don't Breathe 2" is one of those sequels that by all means should never exist. It clearly wasn't planned before the first one was released in 2016, turning into a surprise hit and earning over $157 million dollars worldwide, as it was one of those oddly rare movies where both the villains and the one they're targeting is also a villain, so there's no one to really root for. Yet, since the film was a success, there had to be a way to make more money, so they finally put out the second film in 2021, and tried to change the villain from the first film into a sort of hero figure, or at the very least give him a shot at redemption by pitting him against people who are even more villainous than he is. Still, you can clearly tell that the second film was written with a very razor-thin concept that tried to balance your hatred for the main character and also actively rooting for him to win.

Eight years after three wannabe robbers were thwarted, Norman Nordstrom (Stephen Lang) - a blind Gulf War vet who has some very evil demons of his own - now lives in solitude in Detroit with Phoenix (Madelyn Grace), a young girl he found on the road after her house caught on fire. He's been training her to be a fighter, trying to keep her safe from the outside world. But after one outing into the city, she runs across Raylan (Brendan Sexton III), a no-good gang leader who follows Phoenix home and decides to abduct her with the help of his hooligan pals, thinking it won't be a big fight due to Norman's blindness. Yet they misjudged the old man, and they find themselves in for the fight of their lives as Norman does everything he can to protect Phoenix - who struggles with a shocking truth she discovers about her "father" and learns that maybe other people are more diabolical than Norman himself.

"Don't Breathe" was one of those unique films that seemed at first to offer a good versus bad battle of wits, but then we learn that the person we think is just a very talented Gulf War blind man has some serious demons that makes him almost as bad as those who tried to rob him. There's no real good people in the film, and that is the main selling point of it - something different, where you don't really actively have anyone to root for. Rumors of a sequel have run rampant for years following, and it finally came to fruition, resulting in a very subpar outing compared to the original, with a more gruesome "Home Alone" vibe set against the backdrop of a possible redemption arc for our antihero villainous hero.

Stephen Lang personally shines as Norman, the blind Gulf War vet who isn't all as he seems, and uses it to his full advantage once again as he once again comes across a group of hooligans who once again try to break into his home to steal something of importance to him who once again realize too late that they once again fell for the old man's traps (although that last "once again" isn't fair because they didn't encounter him in the first film). Here he seems to be turning over a new leaf, training the young girl he rescued from a fire eight years prior to be a survivor in her own right, but yet again - as it is with this franchise - all is not as it seems. What appears to be a simple home invasion soon spirals to sheer utter insanity that manages to make Lang's Norman the real hero, and face his own past demons to find some sort of redemption for his past.

Lang has an on-screen presence that's undeniable, as his sheer body itself is intimidating, with his silver hair, lean build, and perfect knowledge of every nook and cranny of his home. While some might find him feeble, he more than handles his own against the young bucks in the film and is extremely menacing, someone you never want to cross in real life. Even his interactions with his "daughter" is marred with unemotional resonance, as he constantly pushes her to better herself in combat and doesn't allow her to really be a child - much like an overprotective father would, but in this case...yet again...there's a deeper meaning to it.

Madelyn Grace plays Phoenix as a reactionary character, someone who constantly adapts to the situations around her and reacts to what's occurring instead of making things happen. You can tell her training with Norman has really prepared her to fight, but throughout the film she finds herself hiding more than fighting. When she finds out some hard truths about her life, she struggles with who to trust, as she's literally surrounded by liars, killers, and much worse.

The film's main highlight is its stylized action sequences, and how Norman manages to Michael Myers (yes, I used his name as a verb) his way through the unassuming goons of Raylan, as he appears and disappears into the shadows to strike when least suspecting. The cinematography is sweeping, especially when the men first break into the home giving a seemingly one-take sweep around the entire house. The action comes fast and furious, and keeps your attention throughout the short runtime as it begins almost immediately and never lets up.

Apart from that, it's very weird to be rooting for a man like Norman, but when he's pitted against worse people like Raylan and his cronies, he's clearly the better of two evils. Yet he also shows some redemption and true sorrow for the evils of his past with Phoenix, and one wonders if someone can really turn over a new leaf and be a good guy after being truly evil. Hey, if it works for Loki, it can work for anyone, right?

Returning to the franchise that made him a star again, Stephen Lang breathes new life into his character for "Don't Breathe 2," offering more than just ferocious violence but asks the question as to whether or not even bad guys can be redeemed.

The Score: B+