Blind veteran, Norman (Stephen Lang), has been hiding out for several years in an isolated cabin. He lives with a young girl and has recreated the family stolen from him by a drunken driver. Their quiet life together is soon shattered when a group of unseemly criminals kidnaps her. Norman is now forced to tap into even darker and more creative instincts to save her.

Don't Breathe is one of my favourite horror movies. It has a simple concept that worked very well. It's a horror movie done right. It's really suspenseful, the tension is high, and it made me feel anxious. I've seen it twice at the cinema a few years back, and was on the edge of my seat a few times. 

As for Don't Breathe 2, well, it's a mixed bag. It's got some good moments and some bad ones. I was constantly questioning what was happening more than I should. It feels like the movie started off with one director, but got replaced with a new one. In result, creating an uneven movie with two different visions. The first act is good, and I have no complaints there. Once we know the answers, and what was really happening, this is when the movie starts to spiral out of control. 

The story wanted to be something more. It wanted to stand out from the first movie. It just didn't work. The execution failed, leaving me disappointed. Stephen Lang's character is someone you don't want to mess with, even without his sight. He's a psychopath. Nobody wants to side, or support him. The sequel wanted to change that by showing us that he cares for a girl, who he kidnapped. Read that sentence again. Doesn't make sense, right? 

Another issue that I have with Don't Breathe 2 is the shift between who is the villain, and who is the hero. It's unclear. It's similar to what I said above. Stephen Lang kidnapped a girl, and once her dad finds her, who are we to support? A group of killers trying to kill Lang or him trying to kill them all? The movie is too complicated for its own good, or should I say, a movie with poor writing and bad direction. 

The action sequences are predictable, but it's better than the story and characterisation. It kept me going, and I wanted to see the kills. It wasn't memorable, but it was good enough. Same thing goes for the color correction and lighting, or lack thereof. It's a dark movie with little light, which created an atmosphere that I like a lot. 

If the first film was never made, and Don't Breathe 2 is standalone horror movie. It would be another average horror movie. Since the first one was so good, the sequel is poor and disappointing. 

Final Score - 3/5 

Thank you so much for reading. Until next time, stay caffeinated! 

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