With Bated Breath. . .

Don't Breathe is a frightening thriller. Nothing can prepare the trio for what they face the second they break into this man's house. Writer/director Fede Alvarez does not present a thriller emptied of pathos; he pulls on our empathy as he gives us Rocky's (Jane Levy) backstory in less than two minutes, but it's satisfying and necessary and with the slight but special inclusion of her little sister Diddy (Emma Bercovici), we are rooting for her from the beginning. As we learn from the trailer, Money (Daniel Zovatto) is killed minutes after the break-in and we are immediately left with a new trio in a very scary and unpredictable situation. Another brilliant move by the director is the development of the story's elements—both the emotional connection between Rocky and Alex (Dylan Minnette) and Rocky's spiritual petition--as survival tools. The character arcs are dynamic, shifting as constantly as the plot itself. And it is amazing what Alvarez does with the space of the house, enclosing us in tension, in the unsettling moments of indecision, in those pivotal seconds of Having. To. Act. Now.

There are a few times when Rocky and Alex cover their mouths to keep from breathing or screaming. And no kidding, I was doing this myself throughout the film. And the air seemed to have gotten trapped in my lungs. And it wasn't until the movie ended that my breath could escape. And once you see what the Blind Man can do and the number of surprising layers this film has, you will find yourself rooting for the home invaders. And when you see what happens, you will understand why. And the trailer is good, it's intriguing, but the movie contains so much more than you think it will. And. . .hhhuhhh!

#DontBreathe #FedeAlvarez #JaneLevy #DylanMinnette