Five years ago The Blind Man (Stephen Lang) nearly killed an entire gang of petty criminals in Don’t Breathe, and now he’s back for more murder and mayhem in Don’t Breathe 2. Rodo Sayagues takes over the directing reins on this one. Don’t Breathe 2 doesn’t quite reach the same tension-filled heights as its predecessor, but there’s still plenty of b-movie brutality on display, and I really liked how the story shifted away from The Blind Man and became the story of a young girl (played by Madelyn Grace). She goes through hell and back along the way.
The plot of Don’t Breathe 2 is simple: roughly eight years before the story begins, The Blind Man rescues a young girl abandoned on the street and adopts her as his own. He prepares her for the horrors of the world through time and tries to keep her hidden since he understands how messed up society can be. The Blind Man’s instincts are correct when a group of men lead by the mysterious Raylan (Brendon Sexton III), shows up at their residence with the intention of kidnapping Phoenix.
They have their motives but none of these malicious invaders could have predicted how fiercely The Blind Man and his ward would fight back, making their task practically impossible.
Don’t Breathe 2 isn’t as polished or as suspense-filled as its predecessor, but it’s unashamedly violent nature kept me entertained from beginning to end. Don’t Breathe 2 doesn’t offer much in terms of storyline, but you will find a theme that tackles the cyclical trauma of a young girl who has been handed one bad deal after another. The film becomes a testament to the injustices she has had to endure in her life.
The film also provides a vehicle for Grace’s character to not only survive the events of the sequel, but also to emerge stronger as a result of her life experiences. Grace’s stellar performance in Don’t Breathe 2 is by far the greatest achievement to come out of the movie.
Stephen Lang is no slouch himself and shows off his physical prowess and his character’s ability to dominate any potential foes in several action scenes throughout the movie. All of the fight scenes felt unique and fresh due to the excellent cinematography and direction of the mind blowing violence in the those action sequences.
Fortunately this second offering does not simply attempt to recreate the success of the first, but manages to stand on it’s own while creating a truly unique cinematic experience. It succeeds in creating an above-average B movie experience and showcases the star-making performance of the very talented Madelyn Grace.
I’m not a film critic, but like in art, I do know what I like! This one I liked and it kept me entertained from start to finish. I give it a thumbs up!
Daywalker’s Movie Score: 4/5
