Compare & Contrast: “Don’t Breathe” and “10 Cloverfield Lane”

Some friends and I attended an early screening for the low-budget horror film “Don’t Breathe” for the simple reason that it was free and the prospect of seeing a movie early is always enticing. I had seen the trailer for “Don’t Breathe” when I saw “The Shallows” in theaters, and it didn’t pique my interest. It appeared to be based on loud noises, jump scares and the weak gimmick of a killer blind man. After seeing the film, I can confirm that my first impressions were correct. What surprised me me was how many similarities it had to the recent “10 Cloverfield Lane” and how much better “Lane” was in almost every regard.

The problems with “Don’t Breathe” begin with the very first shot. It’s a fine shot on its own; starting as a wide view of a peaceful neighborhood at sunrise before slowly zooming in on a man dragging an unconscious young woman through the street by her hair.