HUSH (2016)﻿: Home Invasion Horror

So I watched Hush the other day on Netflix, not expecting much, but I was well surprised at how good it was. I liked it a lot! Hush is yet another tale of home invasion, and it’s as if director Mike Flanagan sets out to upturn any expectations we might have.

Here’s the set-up: Maddie (Seigal), our hero, is a deaf and mute author, living alone in a remote house in the woods. She’s working on her latest novel when a masked maniac (Gallgher Jr.) shows up on her doorstep. Armed with a crossbow and a knife, the nameless stranger has made Maddie his next victim. This dude is beyond heartless and worst of all, he has no motive.

So, Maddie can’t hear the killer at all and she can’t call for help because she has no voice. In this situation, I imagine she’s probably grateful that she’s not blind because then she’d be even more screwed. Luckily, Maddie doesn’t let her disabilities get in the way of her survival skills.

We cheer her on as she frantically scurries around her home, trying to figure out how to escape without the assailant breaking in. The film is essentially one long seat-edged fight to the death. Adding to the suspense and thrills, Hush takes place in one location on the same night.

Hushimage1

This is quite a short movie, but it still packs enough terror and dread to make you feel as though you’ve been put through the ringer. The best thing about Hush is the fresh ideas it brings. For example, silence is a part of the storytelling and the killer uses Maddie’s inability to hear, to his advantage. Much of the torment happens right under her nose. The uniqueness of Hush makes it a strong piece of cinema.

This is a brutal and gruesome movie, but I’m sure seasoned horror watchers can easily stomach it. The film may give us plenty of blood and thrills, but it’s actually pretty cool in a weird way. I thought it was nice to see people with disabilities being portrayed as strong and resilient, instead of weak. Also, the scenes where you see Maddie’s ‘inner voice’ informing her decisions, I thought, was really inventive and clever. All in all, Hush succeeds in everything it tries to do.

BOTTOM LINE – There’s no other way to say it… Hush gives you everything you want from a nail-biting home invasion thriller, with an added twist. It’s a slick, well crafted and an all around solid film. Highly recommended.

Check out the trailer below!