The Horror Show
Hush
by Mike Flanagan
As horror fans occasionally contemplate on whether they should lose faith in the horror genre or not, director Mike Flanagan’s Hush is a breath of fresh air proving to all of us horror fans that horror films can still be hugely effective and satisfying.
Having disappointed some of us with the not-so-great evil mirror thriller Oculus, Flanagan makes a comeback with a Scream-like home invasion chiller and one thing is for sure: our faith in the horror genre is restored.
In a simplistic and yet compelling setup, the story follows Maddie (Kate Siegel, a deaf author whose need for solitude has her settled in a secluded house in the woods. As she is trying to finish her latest novel, Maddie is determined to find that much-needed peace of mind and avoid any annoying distractions, but her plans go completely off track when she’s targeted by a vicious masked killer who becomes twistingly fascinated with her.
Taking advantage of her disability, the blood-seeking intruder (10 Cloverfield Lane’s John Gallagher Jr) decides to prolong her fate by dragging her into a whirlpool of sick games, making the seat-edge battle for survival even more extravagant. As we are left wondering what the killer’s motivations are, Gallagher plays him with such a charismatic ferocity that we really don’t need to know anything else about him. Siegel’s portrayal of the vulnerable - and sometimes oblivious - victim is also remarkable, as her realistic and yet plucky reactions deliver a powerful outcome.
Flanagan does something extraordinary in Hush. As the two main - and kind of only - characters face each other down quite early on in the runtime, the storyline is so skillful and well-thought that there is no need for wasteful time-killers. Flanagan’s use of gore is noteworthy too, as he doesn’t hold back on it, but also doesn’t rely on it. It’s clear that suspense is the main priority here and he successfully manages to frame the tension between the pair to maximum effect, and it’s a tension that is bound to move the two characters towards an inevitable climax, leaving the viewers wondering how gruesome and satisfying it can get.
Here’s another interesting thing about this thriller. Maddie’s weakness is the film’s strength. There’s a clear intention to treat each sound with extra consideration and as a result, every bit of eerie noise that is usually drowned, becomes ear-shattering.
Of course, Hush has its flaws and certainly some of them are a few box-ticking clichés, but overall, every minute of it serves its purpose: to deliver a lean, gripping, and finely shaped horror movie grounded in reality.
Maria Kriva, HMS
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