Starring - Stephen Lang (Tombstone, Avatar), Madelyn Grace (The Orville, Z Nation), and Brendan Sexton III (Chronicle of a Serial Killer, Drunk History)
Release Date - 2021
Genre - Horror/Crime
Format - UHD (Personal Collection) (Screener)
Rating (out of 5):
Back in 2016 I was sent the horror thriller Don't Breathe starring Stephen Lang for review. I remember really enjoying the film and was extremely grateful that I was lucky enough to receive the film for review. I watched it a couple times that year but since then I have not revisited it. When I saw that a sequel was in the works earlier this year I was genuinely excited for this release. I was unable to check it out in theaters when it was released but as soon as I could snag a physical copy for review I was ecstatic. I was afraid it would be a quick cash in on the name but I was greeted with a film that I actually enjoyed.
The film once again follows the Blind Man (Lang) who now has a daughter. He home schools her and teachers her survival while keeping her away from the world around her. That is until a group of men break into his home and tries to kidnap her. He fights back protecting the girl resulting in the death in several men before one of the would be kidnappers, Raylan (Sexton), tells the little girl that the man was not his father. During the overnight siege of her home, she is taken and the Blind Man is left for dead. When he awakens the next morning he hunts down the man who has taken the girl before revealing to her that everything she was told was true. However, her real father is wanting to use her to harvest her organs to save her mother. The Blind Man must fight his way through a building full of men wanting to kill him so he can save his adopted daughter.
Honestly, I didn't know what to expect from Don't Breathe 2 especially after the way the first film ended. However, this sequel took us in a direction I was not expecting and was able to surpass the first one, at least in my opinion. I had seen a few people that had previously seen it talk about how the film was either tone deaf or tried to change the main character of the Blind Man into an anti-hero. I can see where these viewers would get the idea but I don't feel that way. The acting in this one is absolutely great. Stephen Lang never disappoints and I love this character that he has created. Lang has a long and impressive career filled with unlikable yet memorable characters in films like Avatar, Tombstone, and the first Don't Breathe. He's an amazing character actor and he always goes all in. This was an intense performance for him and he does not disappoint. Madelyn Grace did not disappoint either. Her age does not dictate her talent and she shows an on screen presence well beyond her years. The supporting cast is solid but they don't steal the scene like these two. The story for this one doesn't go the route you would expect after the events of the first film. The film sets up a false sense that the evil Blind Man is seeking redemption but the way he treats the child is almost inhumane. In my opinion, it only solidifies him as the monster we saw in the first film. We then have the "father" return into her life and we think that he is going to rescue her but that is not the case. She is forced to pick between two extremely evil men. I really liked how they approached this one and it is a great extension of the first film. Finally, the film has some seriously rewarding death scenes. They are brutal and the practical effects look fantastic. I was really impressed by the kills and the effects they brought. Overall, Don't Breathe 2 is a fantastic sequel that is violent and griping. I highly recommend this one.
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