Don’t Breathe is a horror thriller directed by Fede Alvarez that held the No. 1 spot and made approximately $15.7 million in its second weekend and stands to make $19.4 million over the four day holiday weekend. The overall success of the film put new releases such as “Morgan” and “Hands of Stone” quite low on the grossing list for the sleepy weekend.            

     The movie received generally favorable reviews. Rotten Tomatoes gave Don’t Breathe an 86 percent, Robert Ebert gave the film3/4, and IMDb committed a 7.8/10. These numbers are high considering the summer of 2016 produced several underperforming sequels and a number of high-profile disappointments.

     According to IMDb, Rocky, Alex, and Money are three Detroit thieves who get their kicks by breaking into the houses of wealthy people. The goal is to rob a blind man’s safe containing roughly $30,000, and the thieves want this to be their last score. This score comes after a solid run of robbing locals in Michigan. Money gets word about a blind veteran who won a major cash settlement following the death of his only child.

     Figuring that this blind man is easy target, the trio invades the man’s secluded home in an abandoned neighborhood. Finding themselves trapped inside, the young intruders must fight for their lives after making a shocking discovery about their supposedly helpless victim.

     Unfortunately for Rocky, Money, and Alex, the man is a formidable foe: a war veteran, blinded in combat, who has his other four senses finely tuned and is very familiar with every inch of his house. While the thieves do not have the opportunity to present many lines and spend most of the time evading the antagonist, each performs well. There are many scenes of silence and stillness followed by anxiety and brutality from both protagonist and antagonist. But many agree the star of the film is the blind man and his house of horrors. According to screenrant.com, the uniqueness of the movie is the unnerving tension with the use of silence. The site also states that there is more to the character and his house than the teens assume. The combination of Stephen Lang’s – the actor who plays the blind vet – unhinged performance with playful directorial choices from Alvarez makes the character captivating.

     For those who are fans of this genre, numbers don’t lie. The reviews from professionals and money grossed at the box office prove the film stands strong at this time. For students at the Ybor campus, the theatre at Centro Ybor offers low ticket prices on what is known as stimulus Tuesday, and is valid year-round at $5 a ticket. Also, the theatres are mostly empty between the hours of 5 to 7 p.m. when the discount is offered. Do yourself a favor and get your scares before the Halloween season. Another movie Fede Alvarez directed was the Evil Dead remake in 2013; it’s a must-watch for movie lovers who enjoy “Don’t Breathe.”