In 2016 an unassuming horror film was released to the public. It told the story or three teens who sneak into the house of a blind man in an attempt to rob him of $30,000 he received from an insurance company when his daughter died in a car accident. During that robbery they discover he’s not as helpless as they thought and the woman who killed his daughter chained up in the basement and pregnant. The film, DON’T BREATHE, was a surprise hit for Sony Pictures and it didn’t take long for a sequel to be lined up.
DON’T BREATHE 2 takes place 8 years later. The film opens with a news story about a doctor wanted for working with a group suspected of killing people for their organs. Blind ex-SEAL Norman Nordstrom (Stephan Lang) still lives in Detroit with his trusted Rottweiler Shadow but he has a new life to care for as well. Phoenix (Madelyn Grace) grows up with Norman who trains he in survival skills and home schools her. He tells her she her mother passed away in a fire years ago. But she longs to be a normal child with friends.
On a trip to town with Hernandez (Stephanie Arcila), a friend of Norman’s who brings them their weekly groceries, they stop by the burned remnants of Phoenix former life. Using the restroom at a nearby store when stopping for gas, Phoenix is met by Raylan (Brendan Sexton III). Raylan is a rough looking biker type but before he can do anything Shadow comes to Phoenix side and keeps him at bay. When she and Hernandez leave, he and a friend follow them and we get a glimpse of a cooler in the back of their truck.
When the chance presents itself Raylan and his gang move in subduing Hernandez and Shadow. When Norman goes out looking for Shadow they break into the house and a game of cat and mouse ensues with Phoenix doing her best to avoid Raylan and his gang. Of course it isn’t long before they catch her and the first twist of several takes place. Spoiler alert avoid the next paragraph at your own risk.
It turns out that Raylan is Phoenix birth father. He was sent to prison 8 years ago when the house burnt down. At that time Norman took Phoenix from the house and raised her as his own. Is this another case of Norman trying to replace the daughter he lost as he did in the first film? Or is he attempting to atone for his previous acts by giving this girl a new chance at life?
Raylan continues his plan for revenge. He knocks Norman out in the house. With Phoenix unconscious in the truck he sets the house ablaze with Norman and the gang’s dog trapped inside. They leave and head for the gang’s hideout, an abandoned hotel where more surprises lay in store. But Norman is not one to take things lying down. He is a formidable opponent in spite of his blindness. When you face off against someone like this you’d better make sure he’s down before you walk away.
The first film, made for under $10 million had a return at the box office of over $157 million. So a sequel was inevitable. But like most second features this one didn’t do near as well bringing in around $47 million. Then again this was at the tail end of Covid shutting down and theaters just opening again.
The movie itself is actually quite entertaining for fans of the genre. The story fits together nicely like a puzzle where the pieces slowly fit together. The twists in the plot are well done and rarely seen coming. First time director Rodo Sayagues who co-wrote and co-produced the first film as well as the EVIL DEAD remake (both directed by Fede Alvarez) does a great job here keeping the pace of the film going and the surprises well hidden.
Perhaps the most amazing thing in both films is the performance of star Stephen Lang. Lang has had a career dating back to the 1980s but it’s always seemed to me that his career didn’t take off until 1990’s AVATAR. In spite of stellar work along the way he’s never gotten the credit that he deserves. Fans of the horror genre have embraced him though and his work in both of these films has been some of his best.
Halloween may be over but this is a movie that you won’t want to miss. The suspense is palpable and the movie keeps going even when you think it’s near over. Never once did I consider reaching for the remote and hitting the fast forward button which for me is high praise. This one is worth checking out.
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