Don't Breathe

Four young thieves named Rocky, Alex, Money, and Diddy hatch a plan to break into the home of a blind veteran, convinced they can pull off the perfect score and vanish unseen. They slip inside under cover of darkness, certain the place holds little more than a quiet stash waiting to be taken, no alarms, nothing that can't be stolen. Their certainty begins to falter as the occupant proves to be an able and relentless guardian, turning a single residence into a deadly puzzle. The Blind Man uses the house against them, exploiting darkness, noise, and clever traps to tilt the odds. What starts as a routine burglary becomes a nerve shredding contest of wits and nerve, as night tightens.

Directed by Fede Alvarez from an original screenplay co written with Rodo Sayagues, Don't Breathe hit theaters in 2016. The lean setup and strong performances helped redefine home invasion thrillers beyond standard jump scares. It sparked late discussion among audiences.

Budget around 9.9 million, it grossed 158,906,350 worldwide, turning a modest investment into a lucrative hit and establishing Alvarez as a rising genre talent. The film became a sleeper hit, opening in dozens of markets and outperforming expectations for investors.

Don't Breathe left a mark as a lean tense home invasion thriller that favors strategy over gore. Stephen Lang's restrained, terrifying performance drew praise for menace without slide into caricature. The film sparked discussions about vulnerability, moral ambiguity, and the ethics of crossing into someone else's space, and lasting influence.

Critics praised the tight pacing, claustrophobic setup, and the way fear is built from restraint rather than splashy effects. The film explores surveillance, desperation, and the cost of crossing boundaries, with the intruders' plans unraveling as the Blind Man fights to survive. Its influence lingered in audiences and critics alike.