Don’t Breathe is a tense, claustrophobic thriller directed by Fede Álvarez. The film revolves around a group of young thieves who break into the home of a blind man, only to find themselves in a deadly game of survival.
Plot Overview
Setup
The story follows three friends: Rocky, Alex, and Money, who live in Detroit and make a living by robbing houses. Their goal is to save enough money to escape their grim lives, with Rocky dreaming of leaving the city with her younger sister for a better life. The trio learns about a blind Gulf War veteran living in an abandoned neighborhood who supposedly has a fortune of $300,000 in cash stashed in his house. Believing the blind man, Norman Nordstrom, to be an easy target, they plan the heist.
The Heist
The group breaks into Norman’s house late at night. Initially, the robbery seems straightforward. However, things quickly spiral out of control when:
- Money attempts to drug the blind man, but Norman wakes up and kills him in a violent struggle.
- Rocky and Alex, hiding in the house, realize Norman is far from defenseless. Despite being blind, his other senses are heightened, making him a formidable and terrifying adversary.
As the two remaining thieves attempt to escape, they discover shocking secrets about Norman’s life.
Shocking Revelation
While hiding, Rocky and Alex stumble upon a horrifying discovery in the basement:
- A young woman named Cindy, bound and gagged, is being held captive by Norman. It’s revealed that Cindy was the driver responsible for killing Norman’s daughter in a car accident. Norman has abducted her in a twisted attempt to “replace” his daughter, intending to impregnate her artificially.
When Cindy attempts to escape during the chaos, Norman accidentally kills her, leaving Rocky and Alex as his next targets.
Survival and Escape
The rest of the movie is a tense cat-and-mouse chase as Norman hunts the intruders through his house. Despite his blindness, his intimate knowledge of the home gives him the upper hand. Rocky and Alex use their wits to outmaneuver him, but Alex is ultimately killed during their attempt to flee.
Rocky manages to escape with the stolen cash after a harrowing confrontation. In a climactic moment, she uses the house’s security system and a clever ruse to temporarily incapacitate Norman, leaving him behind.
Technical Review and Key Elements
Morality and Justice: The movie blurs the lines between right and wrong. While the thieves are criminals, Norman’s actions are far more monstrous. Both sides commit reprehensible acts, leaving the audience to question who the true villain is.
Survival and Desperation: Rocky’s determination to escape poverty mirrors Norman’s desperate, albeit deranged, quest to fill the void left by his daughter’s death.
Perception and Power: Despite being blind, Norman’s keen senses and military training make him a dangerous force, subverting stereotypes of vulnerability.
Don’t Breathe is praised for its taut, suspenseful pacing and innovative use of sound and silence to heighten tension. The film flips the home invasion genre on its head, making the “victim” a relentless predator. It’s a psychological rollercoaster that keeps viewers on edge, questioning their sympathies and moral judgments.
The Ending Explained
In the film’s final scenes, Rocky escapes with the money and reunites with her sister, preparing to leave Detroit. However, a news report reveals that Norman survived the ordeal and has not reported the robbery or the events in his house to the authorities. This chilling twist suggests that Norman may still pose a threat and leaves the door open for a sequel (explored in Don’t Breathe 2).
