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Don't Breathe (2016)
Don't Breathe (2016)
2016 | Crime, Horror, Thriller
Here comes Little Kevin, all grown up and blinded.
“Don’t Breathe” had a concept that appealed to me. Three Detroit teens are systematically robbing houses of goods to pawn with the aim of getting Rocky (Jane “Evil Dead” Levy) out of the clutches of her deadbeat family to start a new life in California with her younger sister. Dylan Minnette plays the cautious and intellectual Alex, hiding his crush on Rocky particularly badly. Daniel Zovatto plays the fruit-loopy stoner ‘Money’ – the loose cannon of the trio and Rocky’s boyfriend.

After a successful run, they unwisely pick on the home of a blind war veteran (“Avatar”‘s Stephen Lang). He is not just ‘Home Alone’ but ‘Neighbourhood Alone’ (reflecting, probably accurately, the demise of previously affluent suburbs in some industrially declining US cities). Blind or not, the vet (and friend) are a force to be reckoned with: with startling speed the tables are turned and the kids are fighting for their lives. And there are more surprises in store within the spooky old house.

As an audience member, there are certainly points at which the title becomes uncomfortably literal! On the tensionometer, there is a similarity here with last year’s “No Escape”. A scene where blindness is turned into a positive asset is particularly effective.

As is common with this genre, the film suffers from a plot-line that at times makes no sense and involves indestructible participants (with an incident involving garden shears being particularly incomprehensible).


A particularly unpleasant sexual-threat scene towards the end of the film is also nonsensical involving a level of -ahem – ‘preparation’ that the preceding plot simply doesn’t merit.

Inevitably though, the film lives or dies on whether you feel empathy for the disreputable kids in peril. The start of the film tries to balance the empathy scales by giving Rocky her backstory, throwing in the ‘little sister’ card. It also demonstrates that “The Blind Man” is a ‘bit of a bastard’ – or perhaps that should be a ‘bit of a baste-ard’ (LOL, in-joke)). Unfortunately however I hold the peculiarly unfashionable idea that if things are “mine” they are “mine” – not anyone elses: so, on balance, I wasn’t rooting for them and would be happy to let the thieving little sh*ts all get beaten to death!
Jane Levy (channelling a young Emma Stone) acquits herself admirably as the heroine in peril. Also of particular note is the highly effective atonal score by Roque Baños that ramps up the tension extremely effectively. Directed by “Evil Dead” director, Uruguayan Fede Alverez, the film does have a certain style and is an enjoyable roller-coaster ride, provided you park your brain at the (well locked) door.
  
Rowan & Aldred (Ambrosia #2)
Rowan & Aldred (Ambrosia #2)
Lucie Fleury | 2024 | LGBTQ+, Science Fiction/Fantasy
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
HEED the triggers, I have none but this really pushed my boundaries!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.

This is book 2in the Ambrosia series, and I have not read book one. I want to, though. Oh how I WANT!

I wasn't sure how this was gonna go, since it came with a stern, VERY STERN warning to note the triggers. I, after reading, STRESS that point.

Rowan is a bully and Aldred the God of Justice and Retribution. Who better to meek out the punishment the boy deserves. But something is off with Rowan and it takes a bit of time for Aldred to get deep into Rowan's reasons for being a bully. What he discovers shocks him, and makes him oddly protective of the boy. There is also the issue of the god going around, giving ambrosia out to humans, which is deadly if not managed correctly.

So, triggers:

Explicit smex: Oh yes, once Aldred decides he's keeping Rowan, the God loves his boy, and he loves him HARD.

Torture: Aldred, in the beginning, is brutal to Rowan. It was painful, reading about it, and it goes way darker than anything I've read before. I will admit, I came close to stopping, but something begged me to continue and I am so glad I did.

Mention of past abuse: Rowan's reasons for being a bully aren't immediately clear, and it does take some time for Aldred to get to the bottom of them.

Sexual assault: If it's the scen I'm thinking of, it's not a full on page assault, just the threat is there, and but for a kitty cat, there would have been.

It's a very different read than my usual fare, and I'm not tagging it as romance, because, let's be honest, I'm not sure Aldred could love in the hearts and flowers sense, but he cares, DEEPLY for Rowan, and I think, in time, his hearts and flowers will come.

Told from both Rowan and Aldred's point of view, this book is powerful in it's intensity; dark in it's violence; and in the end, the reason's for Rowan being a bully is paid back a hundred fold.

I've had a look, and can only see two books by this author name, and I question that! Why?? Cos if this is book 2 by this author, what is Lucie Fleury gonna be like at book 4, 6 or ten?? Sign me up, mate, I'm-a following this author!

Again though, HEED the triggers, I have none but this really pushed my boundaries!

But dear lord I cannot give it anything other than. . . .

5 full and shiny stars! (but more if I could!)

*same worded review will appear elsewhere