2024 horror Movies review

Don’t Move (2024) Review

Don’t Move is a thriller that just dropped on Netflix starring Kelsey Asbille (Fargo) as Iris, a grieving mother at the end of her rope, and Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story) as “Richard”, a Patrick Bateman-esque charmer with ill intent. The two happen across each other’s paths on a cliffside hike, and Richard talks Iris back from the edge; only to put her in an even more precarious situation with a taser-umbrella (where can I buy this?).

The elevator pitch here is: what would you do if you were given a drug that gradually paralyzed you over the course of 20 minutes, and you were being chased by a serial killer? Surprisingly, the filmmakers don’t do much with the time before the drugs kick in, as Iris mostly just stumbles through the woods with Richard laughing at her. The action kicks in when she is almost completely shut down; a Frodo-and-the-Nazgul scene by the river, a raftless jaunt through whitewater rapids, a close call with a lawnmower in the tall grass. Admittedly, these scenes are pretty silly, and the movie almost lost me here.

Coming to the rescue of both the film and Iris is Bill (played by Moray Treadwell), a reclusive elder gentleman with brains, fists, and gravitas. He makes smart decision after smart decision, and the cat-and-mouse with Richard, when he shows up, is a highlight of the movie. From here up to the third act, it was a wonderful back-and-forth of, “How can she get away this time?” and “Oh no, he’s foiled her again!” That’s the joy of the movie, for me.

Once the paralytics start fading, so too did my interest. There’s some banter about life being worth living and such, but it doesn’t feel earned or heartfelt. Wittrock is a perfectly despicable villain, but he doesn’t bring enough depth to the role to make the end game any more meaningful than finding out whether or not the final girl gets her revenge against the monster.

There are enough twists and turns in the action to keep the tension up for 90 minutes, so it’s a perfectly watchable and well-made thriller. Like others in the “Don’t [Blank]” style of horror titles, however, I suspect I’ll forget I watched it entirely in a years’ time.

Grade: B-

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