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Review of Don't Breathe

posted 8 years ago by JigsawX (265)
8 replies | jump to latest

(Originally posted on fight-evil.com)

*This is my first-time viewing of the film*

With all the hype it's gotten from the casual movie-goer, Don't Breathe came across as rather an average film. Three thieves break into the home of a blind man, and discover he's a bigger threat than they otherwise would've thought.

So basically, it's a reverse home invasion movie, which is interesting. Two of the thieves are moderately easy to sympathize with (whereas the third one is a jackass), which at the very least is positive. And it should be mentioned that while the first forty minutes or so can come across as dull, it does get pretty tense at points. That said, I didn't much care for the route they took at the hour mark, nor did I care for the ladybug symbolism.

I think what annoyed me most, though, was how the blind man is an atheist, which he makes clear as a justification of his actions, which just pissed me off. As the film is a Hollywood movie, though, I'm sure they didn't go out of their way just to offend atheists, but it still rubbed me the wrong way.

The final thirty minutes honestly aren't terribly enthralling. Really, the highlights of this film come within the first half; everything past a certain point lacks suspense and originality. If the trio of thieves had been chased around the house for the whole film, I honestly think I'd have liked it more. That said, it's not a bad movie, not by any means. While there's not that much stand-out gore, and it can feel a bit stylized at times, Don't Breath is a decent film for a slow night. I just don't know if it's much more than that, in my opinion. 7/10.

[–] [deleted] 8 years ago

I was thinking the same thing 7/10.

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 8 years ago

Overrated film, I agree. I went in excited due to all the surrounding hype but it's a very average film, and the main characters are not likeable.

The twist made it interesting though. But then Jane Levy gets away with her own crimes (and apparently she seems oblivious to this) and that really bothered me.

[–] Panos (8) 8 years ago

What do you mean "she seems oblivious to this" ?

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 8 years ago

It bothered me how she didn't seem to realize how much of a low down dirty crook she was herself. When she yelled at the blind man something like "You're sick! You need to be locked up!" she should've been talking to herself and her friends too.

But now she is off enjoying a life with someone else's life savings, and gets away with all of those home robberies. She's sick, and needs to be locked up.

[–] Panos (8) 8 years ago

kidnapping , caging and rapping someone by forcing them to make you a child > > > > > > > > > > > trying to steal some money for you and your sister to have a better life.

Not even close to the same level. All of the home roberries besides the blind man they only stole insurrance claimable stuff which means that the owners could have them all replaced by new ones. Basically no big harm done.

So again, not even close.

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 8 years ago

kidnapping , caging and rapping someone by forcing them to make you a child > > > > > > > > > > > trying to steal some money for you and your sister to have a better life.

Every intruder has "a story", but to purposely violate the sanctity of an innocent person's home is a huge crime, period. She is nothing like Jean Valjean from Les Miserables, neither.

Both the blind man and Jane Levy's character should be locked up for good (I did not say he should get away lightly). How long of a sentence for each, I'll let the courts of law decide.

But if your local news said there was a voracious prowler or remorseless gang of thieves on the loose in the neighborhood, that would be scary. That's the type of fear those three young robbers placed on people who did not deserve it. Jane Levy's little sister has a criminal punk for an older sister. Whatever house, apartment, clothes or food she buys is dirty money and ill-gotten gains. She was no angel and should have.....gotten a job/finished school, like good honest people.

[–] Mike716 (5) 8 years ago

I think it was most tense before, or while they were being discovered.

I also hate the characters. Every time I'd start to sympathize with them in the moment, I'd remind myself of why they're there. The young looking kid was the most sympathetic as he seemed to be the most moral and naive, but then you have to realize that he knew what he was doing more than the other two. He knew the limit of when it turns from theft into a felony or whatever, he knew how to exploit the security systems, he was perhaps the worst one. I'm not saying they deserved to die, but when you break into someones house you're fair game. Was hoping the girl would die by the end tbh.

[–] AtomicReturns (1252) 8 years ago

Completely agreed. The scene that made me chuckle was when Jane Levy screamed at the blind man for being sick in the head and needing to be jailed. True, okay.

But she seems to have absolutely no remorse for why she was there herself, as you said. Join the blind man in jail, honey.
When they were planning the robbery she was salivating at the prospect. When they robbed that house in the beginning (and that friend...urinated on the floor?) she had no remorse there either. It was almost like it was fun for them.

She's just as bad - if not worse - than the blind man, because we don't know how far back her crime spree went, but she and her two friends hurt a lot of people, and put innocent families in a permanent state of fear (they never know if the robbers will come back).