Don’t Breathe 2016 Movie | Part One
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).
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Don’t Breathe 2021 Movie | Part Two
Don’t Breathe 2 is the sequel to the 2016 thriller Don’t Breathe. Directed by Rodo Sayagues, the movie continues the story of Norman Nordstrom (played by Stephen Lang), the blind and dangerous man who proved to be an antihero in the first installment.
Plot Summary
Setting and Introduction
The film is set eight years after the events of Don’t Breathe. Norman Nordstrom is now living in isolation with an 11-year-old girl named Phoenix (Madelyn Grace), whom he has raised as his “daughter.” Norman claims Phoenix’s parents died in a house fire, and he trains her to survive the harsh world outside.
Inciting Incident
One day, a group of criminals breaks into Norman’s home, seemingly to kidnap Phoenix. Initially, the group appears to be ordinary kidnappers, but it’s revealed that their leader, Raylan, is actually Phoenix’s biological father. Her biological mother is alive too, and the criminals are drug dealers who want to take Phoenix back.
Raylan’s Motives
Raylan and his crew reveal the truth: Norman found Phoenix after a fire, which Raylan caused while making drugs in the family home. However, Raylan’s intentions are sinister. Phoenix’s mother is dying from organ failure due to the fire’s effects, and Raylan wants to harvest Phoenix’s organs to save her mother.
Norman’s Fight
Norman fights back, using his exceptional survival skills and knowledge of his home to systematically eliminate the criminals. Despite his brutal methods, Norman’s primary concern is keeping Phoenix safe.
Climactic Revelation
As the fight unfolds, Phoenix learns of Norman’s dark past. She realizes he isn’t the noble protector she thought he was—he had kidnapped her after the fire rather than saving her altruistically.
Ending
In the film’s final moments, Norman sacrifices himself to save Phoenix. He admits his past sins and tells her to leave, claiming she now has the chance to live a normal life. After killing Raylan, Phoenix walks away, choosing freedom over her connection to Norman or her biological parents.
Technical Review
- Redemption and Guilt: Norman is a deeply flawed character haunted by his past actions. His attempt to raise Phoenix is a way to atone for his crimes, but the film questions whether someone like him can ever truly find redemption.
- Nature vs. Nurture: The film explores the moral ambiguity of Norman’s parenting. While he protects Phoenix and teaches her survival skills, his methods are brutal and controlling, stemming from his own traumatic worldview.
- Morality and Shades of Gray: Similar to the first film, Don’t Breathe 2 thrives on moral ambiguity. Neither Norman nor the criminals are entirely good or bad, leaving the audience to grapple with their own judgment of the characters’ actions.
- Survival and Adaptation: Phoenix’s journey is a coming-of-age story rooted in survival. By the end of the movie, she learns to stand on her own, both physically and emotionally.
Ending Explained
The ending signifies Phoenix’s emancipation from both Norman and her biological parents. Norman’s death is symbolic of his acknowledgment that his crimes cannot be undone and that Phoenix deserves a chance to live free from his influence. The final scene, where Phoenix walks away into a new life, suggests hope and a clean slate, leaving viewers with a bittersweet conclusion.
While Don’t Breathe 2 doesn’t recapture the intense simplicity of its predecessor, it expands the story by delving into themes of redemption, parental bonds, and the consequences of past actions, presenting a deeper, albeit darker, character study of Norman Nordstrom.
