Don't Breathe (2016) dir. by Fede Álvarez (review)

Rather than the rural or suburban settings typical of many horror films, the city of Detroit serves as the backdrop of Don't Breathe (dir. Fede Álvarez, 2016), which is just one of the ways the film inverts the home-invasion subgenre. When three delinquent young adults attempt to rob a blind Gulf War veteran, they quickly become victims of a violent man desperately trying to protect the secret in his basement. The vet, simply called the Blind Man (Stephan Lang) in the credits, is almost entirely in control of the house: no lights are needed, all exits are barred or key locked from the inside, an aggressive guard dog patrols the yard, and the structure is surrounded by an abandoned neighborhood. Like the pastor, teacher, or beloved friend, the Blind Man fulfills the horror trope of the unexpected villain. But unlike other horror films that depict evil for its own sake, Don't Breathe provides its villain with motivations that are not mysterious but deeply rooted in the societal ills of a city.

The thieving trio continually press their luck with each new heist, but when they learn of a secluded vet hoarding a hefty lawsuit settlement, robbing him becomes their ticket out of Detroit. If they succeed, Rocky (Jane Levy) can finally take her little sister to California, far away from an abusive mother. After scouting the house, the three break in rather easily, but they underestimate the Blind Man. Both Rocky and Alex (Dylan Minnette) silently watch as their compatriot Money (Daniel Zovatto) is captured and abruptly killed once he lies to the Blind Man about being the only intruder. As the film's marketing emphasizes, the remainder of Don't Breathe focuses on Rocky and Alex's attempts to find an exit, but the Blind Man's secrets also come to light as the story goes deeper.

As the pair try to flee through the basement, they encounter a restrained woman, Cindy Roberts (Franciska Töröcsik). The Blind Man thwarts their escape, accidentally killing Cindy in the process. Eventually Rocky is captured and bound like Cindy. She learns of Cindy's involvement in the car accident that killed the Blind Man's daughter; how the Blind Man kidnaped Cindy in order to force her to bear him a replacement child; and how he now intends Rocky to fill that role.

This is not a story about evil with no clear agenda; the Blind Man's actions have purpose, motivated by the wrongs done to him in his own country. Even though he served his country abroad, his greatest trauma originates in his hometown, which not only rattles but removes his moral compass. "There is nothing a man cannot do once he accepts the fact that there is no God," he says. If his daughter can be killed in such a callous way, God must not exist. And if God does not exist, according to the Blind Man, morals are little more than a social construct to maintain order. Liberated from such absolutes, he can implement his own concept of justice. However, he is not completely devoid of rules.

Still a good soldier, the Blind Man follows a new code of conduct—a caricature of conservative values. Cindy took something from him and must repay him with something of equal value. The home invaders also broke the rules and violated his privacy; therefore, they can die or, in Rocky's case, suit a specific need. Once Cindy is murdered, Rocky must make things "right" by becoming her replacement. The Blind Man says he will not "rape" Rocky, rather forcibly inseminate her with a turkey baster filled with his semen. The obvious question of a woman's consent, however, would fall on stubborn ears since the Blind Man now believes "there is nothing a man cannot do" in a world without God; he can rationalize his actions as he sees fit, establishing his own definition of justice—patriarchal as it is.

Before he can proceed, however, Alex arrives in time to stop the rape. Eventually, Alex is murdered and Rocky eludes capture...