Don't Breathe 2 Review
Don’t Breathe 2 hits theaters on Aug. 13.
In 2016, Don’t Breathe introduced Stephen Lang as Norman Nordstrom, a past-his-prime Army veteran with some seriously violent tendencies, to say the least. His silently menacing performance made what could’ve been a tired trope intriguing viewing, and his return to the role in Don’t Breathe 2 mostly delivers on this front. Unfortunately, he just can’t rescue this horror sequel from the trappings of mediocrity.
Don’t Breathe 2 doesn’t bother to shake up the crux of the plot too much; another home invasion movie, it once again finds the house of Norman ransacked. This time around, though, the loot that’s being hunted isn’t some large pile of cash. Instead, it’s a young girl named Phoenix (Madelyn Grace). And news flash: she’s Norman’s daughter.
We get the idea very early on that Phoenix will go through some sort of life-threatening excursion, as Norman puts her through regular endurance tests of both the mind and body. When the camera follows her through the rundown streets of Detroit, it becomes clear that potential danger exists around each and every corner. Perhaps all this training may come in handy. Perhaps Norman should keep her on a tighter leash. As you would expect, he doesn’t.
