Don't Make a Sound (2024) by Jt Kris: A Silent Escape
- dailyentertainment95
- Aug 13
- 6 min read
Short Summary: Sisters Against a Killer After their mother’s passing, two sisters, Billie and her younger sibling Grace, are on a cross-country trip to stay with relatives when their car breaks down. Stranded in a remote wooded area, they become the targets of a masked, deranged killer who films his victims. The sisters must rely on their wits and a desperate pact of silence to survive the night. The film is a micro-budget slasher that combines found-footage elements with a more traditional narrative style.
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26689025/
Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/dont-make-a-sound (US)
Detailed Summary: A Road Trip Turns Deadly
The Journey Begins: Following the death of their mother, an older sister named Billie is driving her younger sister Grace to live with their aunt. The car ride is filled with grief and tension between the two, as they navigate their loss and a strained relationship.
The Car Breaks Down: Their journey is abruptly halted when their car breaks down on an isolated road deep in the woods. They are far from any towns and their phones have no signal, leaving them completely vulnerable.
A Deranged Hunter: They soon realize they are not alone. A deranged killer, clad in a hazmat suit and gas mask, stalks the area, capturing his victims on a camcorder. The film uses found-footage inserts from the killer's tapes, showing the brutal murders of previous victims.
Survival is Key: The sisters' survival hinges on their ability to remain silent and undetected. The younger sister, Grace, who has a strong will, reminds her older sister that any sound will attract the killer. Their hiding, running, and attempts to get help form the core of the film's suspense.
The Final Confrontation: The movie culminates in a bloody and tense confrontation between the sisters and the killer. As the film progresses, the sisters must not only fight for their lives but also overcome their personal struggles and grief to work together as a team.
Director's Vision: Blending Found-Footage with Slasher Tropes Jt Kris, who also wrote and produced the film, intended to create a micro-budget horror movie that pays homage to slasher classics while incorporating a found-footage aesthetic.
Kris's vision was to make a film in the vein of Hush, where a silent protagonist is hunted by a killer.
He aimed to combine the unsettling realism of found-footage with a more traditional narrative to create a unique and terrifying viewing experience.
The film's low-budget nature is embraced as part of its aesthetic, using the isolated woods and simple props to create a sense of claustrophobia and raw fear.
Themes: Grief, Survival, and Sisterhood
Grief and Vulnerability: The film uses the sisters' shared grief as a backdrop for the horror. Their emotional vulnerability makes them easy prey for the killer, as they are already emotionally broken. The film suggests that true healing can only begin when they overcome their trauma and work together to survive.
Survival Instinct: A central theme is the primal human instinct to survive. The sisters, especially the younger one, must quickly adapt to their terrifying situation, learning to hide, fight back, and rely on their wits to make it through the night.
The Bond of Sisterhood: The movie’s emotional core is the bond between the two sisters. Their strained relationship at the beginning is tested by the horrific events, forcing them to reconnect and rely on each other for survival. The film highlights how a shared trauma can either break a relationship or strengthen it.
Key Success Factors: A Glimmer of Hope in an Imperfect Film
Compelling Premise: The film's premise of two grieving sisters being hunted in the woods is a strong and suspenseful hook. It combines familiar horror tropes with a fresh emotional angle.
Unsettling Found-Footage Inserts: The found-footage elements of the killer's tapes are praised for their unsettling and visceral quality, giving a glimpse into the killer’s brutal world without needing to show every detail.
Dedicated Performances: The lead actresses, Junie Liv Thomasson and Saga Pernille Johnsen Muro, deliver committed performances that make the sisters' fear and desperation feel real.
Awards and Nominations: A Fresh Indie Slasher As a micro-budget indie film, Don't Make a Sound is unlikely to receive major film awards. However, its gritty, raw style and compelling premise have garnered positive attention within the independent horror community, where it is seen as a promising addition to the genre.
Critics Reception: A Flawed but Promising Effort
Creepy Catalog: A review from Creepy Catalog acknowledges the film's flaws, such as a lack of focus and repetitive plot points, but still finds a lot to like. The review notes that the found-footage sequences and the bloody finale are highlights.
Filmelier: The website provides a short, positive synopsis, describing the film as a thrilling story of two sisters who are hunted by a killer who films his terrifying hunts.
Overall, critics view Don't Make a Sound as an imperfect but promising micro-budget horror film. They note that while the film has issues with pacing and narrative clarity, it succeeds in creating a tense, atmospheric, and at times terrifying experience.
Reviews: Not Perfect, but Still a Fun Ride
Blu-ray.com: The site's synopsis of the film describes it as a horror movie "in the vein of Hush," with found-footage moments. This suggests the film has a clear and intriguing premise that resonates with fans of the genre.
Plex: The streaming platform lists the film with a low rating, indicating that not all viewers are impressed. The film's low budget and sometimes shaky plot might not appeal to everyone.
Overall, reviews for Don't Make a Sound are mixed. While some appreciate its independent spirit and fresh take on the slasher genre, others find its pacing and plot to be unpolished. It is a film that will likely appeal to a specific niche of horror fans who are more forgiving of low-budget productions.
Release date on streaming: September 25, 2024. The film is available on Tubi, Plex, and Fawesome.
Why to recommend movie: A Glimpse into Indie Horror
A Fresh Take on the Slasher: If you're a fan of the slasher genre and want to see a new, independent take on it, this film is for you. It's not a polished Hollywood production, but its raw, gritty feel adds to the horror.
Found-Footage Elements: The film uses found-footage inserts from the killer's perspective, which creates an unsettling and visceral experience. This blend of styles is a fun and unique twist on the genre.
A Survival Story with Heart: The emotional core of the film is the relationship between the two sisters, which gives the story a surprising amount of heart. You will find yourself rooting for them to survive not just the killer, but also their own grief.
Movie Trend: The Micro-Budget Horror Resurgence Don't Make a Sound is part of a trend of micro-budget horror films that have found success on streaming platforms and in the independent film world. These films often use a simple but compelling premise, limited locations, and a small cast to create a tense and terrifying atmosphere. This trend shows that a good horror film does not need a massive budget to be effective, and it has given a platform to new and exciting filmmakers.
Social Trend: The Fear of Being Watched The film's use of found-footage from the killer's camera taps into the social fear of surveillance and being watched. In a world of social media, dash cams, and security cameras, the fear that someone is always watching is more real than ever. Don't Make a Sound takes this fear to a horrific extreme, where the act of being watched is not just creepy, but a prelude to a brutal death. This trend reflects a growing social anxiety about the loss of privacy.
Final Verdict: A Flawed but Fun Ride for Slasher Fans Don't Make a Sound is not a perfect film. Its low budget and sometimes messy storytelling are evident, and its pacing could be tighter. However, for a micro-budget independent horror film, it's a fun and at times genuinely tense ride. It has a compelling premise, dedicated performances, and some truly unsettling found-footage sequences. If you're a fan of independent horror and can forgive some of its rough edges, it is definitely a film worth watching.
Comments