Don't Breathe 2

Blind Grandpa’s back after five years, and I honestly wasn’t looking forward to his comeback. In fact, I rated the first film very highly and was very apprehensive about the sequel, as I was expecting a severe drop in quality. Well, I wasn’t wrong, but I expected much worse. Grandpa was less demonic this time and compared to the parade of misfits, he almost seemed like a good guy. The story felt weaker, the filmmakers didn't avoid moments where logic was a nuisance, but they managed to salvage the situation with well-handled action and a decent in-depth examination of the human anatomy. 4* (10/04/2021)

Don't Breathe 2 is a bit of a pointless sequel that nobody needed, but luckily it came out in a time of a horror drought, and I welcome a technically superior film with open arms, though without Fede Alvarez's style, it doesn't work as well as it should. It was a bit bothered that the first half is very similar to the first film, another home invasion, where instead of robbing Stephen Lang they go after his adopted daughter, but the flow is pretty similar. The twist in the second half is quite interesting, it has a bit of an exploitation feel to it, but the downside for me is the action. Lang just doesn't suit me as a tough blind man (when I compare it to what Jason Momoa does in See, Lang is more of a minion than a boss), and also the lack of any significant carnage – three gore scenes out of a possible fifteen is really not enough, and shooting four opponents in three seconds like that is a downright waste of good material. The film is definitely worth seeing. Don't Breathe 2 is definitely one of the better films in the last month, but it didn't blow me away or entertain me as much as I had hoped. Story 3/5, Action 3/5, Humour 0/5, Violence 3/5, Fun 3/5 Music 4/5, Visuals 4/5, Atmosphere 3/5, Tension 3/5, Emotion 2/5, Actors 3/5. 6.5/10. (09/10/2021)

To this day, I remember how the first film came like a bolt from the blue... I would almost say it overturned the previously established genre ideals. So I was quite surprised that the creators decided to make a sequel. It should have ended with the first one, let's face it. Stephen Lang plays the protagonist this time, which will surprise any viewer. This 180-degree turn is not explained in any detail; you just have to accept it. At least the experienced experts are back at the helm, and the cinematic quality is evident in every shot; technically, there’s not much to complain about. Otherwise, the story is standard, the villains are again inept, and their actions sometimes seem to lack any sense of logic. On the positive side, there’s a decent amount of brutal moments. Oh, and the ending was surprising and full of quality creative ideas. So, it’s not groundbreaking like the first one, but watching it is worthwhile. No more sequels, though! For me, it’s 6/10. (07/07/2022)

The first Don’t Breathe was interesting and surprising. The second one is merely morbidly amusing. The best part of the film is its cast and the image of a group of ultra-assholish bad guys. You’ll literally look forward to them dying. The point comprising “who is who and what is he doing” is cleverly (and skilfully) concealed, but after it’s revealed, it seems awkward and over the top. The brutality releasing hatred is enormous, as if we are witnessing the birth of a new “viothriller” (violent thriller) sub-genre. The blind uncle’s abilities in the new setting are laughably metaphysical for viewers capable of at least a bit of thought. But he’s also going to get beat down, so why be surprised? What’s bizarre about the film is the effort at relativization of the boundaries between good and evil, unfortunately in a cheap B-movie kind of way.  **1/2 (09/18/2021)

A sequel that literally nobody asked for, but when it was announced, we were actually all looking forward to it because the first one was a blast, a nice revival of the genre that managed to entertain in an original way. But that can't be said for the second one. The first half runs like clockwork and thanks to the constant load of action you don’t get bored, but as the film continues into the second, it starts to drag. In between, when there is too much story going on, you realise how many things don't actually make sense, often being beyond the edge of reality, and the final action set-piece does nothing to save the film, as it can’t match the level of the first half. Stephen Lang is still a tough guy for his age, the main storyline isn't bad, some of the murders are quite good and bloody, while others are terribly sterile and out of frame, which I don't really understand... It was also a good move by the film to put a war veteran in the role of anti-hero, where in the first installment we wanted him dead, but here we more or less root for him, even though we learn some unpleasant things from his past. All in all, an inoffensive flick from which we expected more, and for fans of the first one it's rather a step backwards, but it's more than enough to kill an evening. (09/10/2021)