Don’t Move Review: Sam Raimi-Produced Horror Done Right

This Sam Raimi produced horror flick is heavy on the tension and provides a satisfying cat-and-mouse thriller that truly impresses.

PLOT: It follows a seasoned killer as he injects a grieving woman with a paralytic agent. She must run, fight and hide before her body shuts down.

REVIEW: It’s hard to be a horror fan and not get a tinge of excitement when Sam Raimi’s name is attached to a new genre film. Even when he’s not directing, he produces interesting films that give an underexposed filmmaker a chance to succeed. And he’s found some incredible talent in directing duo Brian Netto and Adam Schindler. Because if there’s one thing that’s difficult: it’s telling an energetic story about a woman who can’t move. Yet somehow they pull it off with Don’t Move.

The story of Don’t Move is pretty simple, with Iris, a young woman who’s recently lost her son, ready to jump off a cliff and take her own life. But she’s in the wrong place at the wrong time as she comes across a seasoned killer, who takes her would-be suicide attempt, as a sign he’s found his next victim. She’s practically gift-wrapped for him. Injecting Iris with a paralyzing syringe, she barely escapes and must contend with her body shutting down while being pursued by a psychopath. I love a good cat-and-mouse thriller and this one manages to keep its tension pretty consistent throughout the events of the story.

Iris is not an easy role, and Kelsey Asbille absolutely kills it. She really shined in Season Four of Fargo, so it’s great to see  all she can pull off with a bit more time. Iris being suicidal puts a complicated value upon her own life. Because just when she thinks she’s at her end, she’s never fought harder to stay alive. But it’s really Finn Wittrock who brings an energy that cannot be ignored. Richard is an absolute psychopath and it’s incredible to watch him turn from oblivious and innocent to sinister and calculated. The switch can happen in an instant or have little hints of his true nature, but he pulls both off really well. He’s got the vibe of having an office job during the week where no one is any the wiser of his weekend exploits.

The cat-and-mouse game between the two is very believable, with some great action beats. There’s a car fight that works so well, that it’s hard to fault Iris for any move she makes. The confined space of the car also makes the quick fight between the two believable. And that’s not easy to pull off given the size discrepancy between the two actors. Believability is a huge thing when presenting a story like this and the filmmakers did a great job. She comes across some characters in her journey that are sure to elicit some yelling at your TV. They range from logical to “how do you not see what is going on?!” But, for the most part, it’s all handled in a pretty realistic way. Just when you think the film is going to zig, it zags, making for an intriguing plot.

In terms of blood and violence, there’s not a whole lot to go off of here. Given the limited characters, there is only so much carnage that can occur. But as is, we get a few deaths here and there. They’re mostly just bludgeonings and don’t go too hard with any kind of gore. We also don’t really get much glimpse into Richard’s process since he’s constantly interrupted and unable to do things as he usually would. Richard seemed more the psychological “tie up and torture” killer versus something even more depraved. I think my Sam Raimi expectations may have done me wrong here as I kept expecting that element to be ramped up.

Despite that, I really enjoyed my time with Don’t Move, as the story is something you really want to see through to its conclusion. The filmmakers play with the tension of any given moment and make the viewer desperate for Iris’ escape. What starts as a woman at the end of her rope, transforms into a fight for survival, desperate to escape an absolute madman. I was rooting hard for Iris and desperately wanted Richard to get his comeuppance. Which is really all you can ask for in a film like this. I really hope this finds an audience, as the filmmakers are clearly very talented and could do a lot with a larger playground.

DON’T MOVE IS STREAMING EXCLUSIVELY ON NETFLIX ON OCTOBER 25TH, 2024.