The darkness envelops the screen, a suffocating silence sets the stage – 'Don’t Breathe 2', the sequel to the gripping 2016 thriller, struts into the limelight, cloaked in the heavy expectations left by the footprint of its forebear. The stage is familiar, yet the air has changed; where once there was an innovative spark, now flickers a steadier, yet dimmer flame, leaving us in a disquieting semi-darkness.
Set in the desolation of an isolated cabin, we return to the life of Norman Nordstrom, the Blind Man with a military past shrouded in darkness both literal and figurative. This time, the harrowing stillness of Norman's life is delicately woven with the threads of paternal love for a young girl, Phoenix, plucked from the ashes of a life that fiercely burned down to embers. Their lives, seemingly tranquil, hang precariously on the edge of a knife that is all too quickly upturned.
Cue the entry of unforeseen chaos: kidnappers, ruthless and devoid of the chills that made the antagonists of the first film so viscerally unsettling. The stakes are ostensibly high – a girl's life, a man's redemption – yet the tension, while palatable, lacks the same suffocating grip that left us wide-eyed and holding our breath in the first installment.
The narrative thrust of 'Don’t Breathe 2', much like its predecessor's, hinges on a claustrophobic cat-and-mouse chase that deftly plays with shadows and sounds, an effort mirrored by director Rodo Sayagues, taking the reins from Fede Álvarez. Sayagues maneuvers through the storyline with an adept but expected hand; the twists and turns are there, but they veer too closely to familiar bends, leaving us yearning for the unexpected jolts that never quite electrify the atmosphere.
Performance-wise, the fulcrum rests on Stephen Lang's weathered shoulders as he reprises his role as Norman. He embodies the character with the same eerie resolve that stirred viewers previously, but this time, the plot affords him fewer shades of grey, sprinkling his character arc with moments that border on predictable rather than startlingly complex. As we delve into his relationship with young Phoenix, played with a convincing mix of innocence and feisty resolve by Madelyn Grace, we get glimpses of human warmth within the chilling confines of the cabin. Yet, the emotional depth we're probed to explore inevitably feels like stepping stones across a river instead of the intended deep dive.
Perhaps the most compelling aspect that 'Don’t Breathe 2' manages to retain is its visceral, bludgeoning action. The choreography of violence is rough and tumble yet artistically rendered, making us wince, grit our teeth, and at times cheer in the dark. It's in these moments of pulse-pounding confrontation that the film finds its breath, fleetingly reviving the raw energy of its conception.
As the credits roll, we're left with the muffled applause of an audience expecting fireworks but given sparklers. 'Don’t Breathe 2' remains engaging and will undoubtedly fill the hollows of a thriller-hungry evening. However, it can't quite escape the looming shadow of its origin, nor does it peak out from behind it with a distinguishable identity of its own. Still, this sequel inhales enough fresh air to rate a passable 6 out of 10, nodding at what was and hinting at the potential that flickers in the darkness, waiting for the right wind to reignite the blazing excellence once captured.
