Silent Terror: A Review of “Hush”
In our “Terrifying Cinema” section, we present reviews of horror films that, for various reasons, didn’t make it to wide theatrical release.
“Maddie (Kate Siegel) contracted meningitis at the age of 13, leaving her deaf and mute. Years have passed, and Maddie has adapted to her new reality, even becoming a writer – her first book proved quite popular. Now, she’s working on her second novel, but her solitude is interrupted by a random maniacal killer who can’t resist such a luxurious opportunity to entertain himself on a dull evening.”
Although Kate Siegel is credited as “Introducing” in the film’s end credits, she has been acting since 2007 and, among other roles, played a significant part in the feature film “Oculus.”
Mike Flanagan is another young horror prodigy who initially gained attention with his short film “Oculus,” followed by its feature-length version. “Oculus” grossed over $40 million on a $5 million budget, so Flanagan was predictably flooded with work for the next five years (including a sequel to “Ouija” and an adaptation of Stephen King’s “Gerald’s Game”). However, fate intervened, and some of his films were slightly delayed in reaching audiences (“Somnia,” which Flanagan filmed two years prior, is only now reaching the big screen), but now they’re pouring down on us like a cornucopia.
“Hush” features only five actors, minimal sets, and an absolute minimum of dialogue (a translator’s dream!). Since the main character can’t hear anything, there’s little point in conversing with her. And what can you really say to a girl you’re about to send to the afterlife? After confirming that she can read lips, the maniac honestly lays out his plan (to torment her thoroughly – so that she begs for death – and then kill her) and immediately begins to execute it.
A Fresh Take on Home Invasion Horror
Of course, it’s incredibly difficult to say something fundamentally new in the genre of thrillers about unfriendly uninvited guests, but the twist of the main character’s deafness adds a couple of clever moves to the plot. Maddie doesn’t notice when someone is killed near her, and the maniac manages to sneak up on her unnoticed, even breaking through obstacles like a bear through a windbreak. While screenwriters often “gift” blind characters with phenomenal hearing (they turn off the lights, and the hunter and victim immediately switch places), deafness, no matter how you look at it, can’t provide any significant advantage.
Brutal and Relentless
Inspired by classic giallo films, “Hush” is a very brutal and harsh movie. Flanagan doesn’t revel in violence but shows it as realistically as possible – by the finale, the characters are not only morally exhausted but also physically battered. However, he mainly focuses on the psychological horror of the situation – the killer makes it clear from the start that there’s no negotiating with him, that there’s no help coming, and that death won’t be easy. Yes, Maddie’s house is well-protected from intrusion (even the window panes aren’t easy to break), but the writers constantly “tweak” the situation so that simply waiting out the attack isn’t an option.
Final Verdict
A tightly constructed script, Flanagan’s confident direction (he understands the genre perfectly and knows what works and what doesn’t), good actors, an atmospheric soundtrack, and naturalistic but well-dosed violence keep you from getting bored – especially since “Hush” lasts only 80 minutes with credits. However, despite its precision, the film doesn’t quite reach the level of revelation – the theme is too familiar, and the laws by which such films live and breathe are too obvious.