Don't Breathe (2016)

Don't Breathe (2016) is a lean, brutal home-invasion thriller that follows three Detroit petty thieves — Rocky, Money and Alex — who target what they think will be an easy score: the isolated house of a wealthy, blind war veteran rumored to have a large cash settlement. What begins as a desperate bid for a fresh start quickly turns into a nightmarish fight for survival when the men in the house discover that their mark is neither helpless nor what they expected. Tension escalates into a relentless cat-and-mouse game as the intruders are forced to navigate a dark, tightly contained house and a hostile occupant who knows how to turn the domestic space into a battlefield. As a viewer you’ll experience sustained, edge-of-your-seat suspense rather than straightforward gore: claustrophobic set pieces, sharp sound design, and sudden, effective shocks create a suffocating sense of danger. Director Fede Álvarez keeps the pacing taut, using darkness, silence and limited vision to put you inside both the attackers’ fear and the blind man’s lethal awareness. Performances — particularly the blind man’s simmering, unpredictable menace — amplify the film’s intensity and moral discomfort. Beyond the thrills, the film probes themes of desperation, survival and blurred lines between victim and aggressor. The characters’ motives (a yearning for escape, protection of loved ones, and short-sighted greed) make many of their choices feel tragically inevitable, adding weight to the violence and making the consequences feel earned rather than gratuitous. Don’t Breathe is for viewers who like tense, smart thrillers with a horror edge: expect intense sequences, dark atmospheres, and morally messy characters. Be aware that the film contains violent scenes and jump-scare moments — it’s designed to make you squirm and hold your breath.

Actors: Stephen Lang, Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette

Director: Fede Alvarez

Runtime: 88 min

Genres: Crime, Horror, Thriller

6.4 /10 71 /100 7.1 /10 6.9 /10