Not breathing is exactly what I noticed I was doing throughout this horror film as I watched the twisted scenes unfold. The director, Fede Alvare, captured my attention from the opening scene. The film, which was very realistic, made me feel like I was a part of it. The blind man, played by Stephen Lang, is nameless and simply goes by The Blind Man. This specific character shows me that just because someone is blind, it doesn’t mean that their other senses don’t function correctly. In fact, it only makes the senses stronger.

Don’t Breathe is a film about three young adults named Rocky, Alex and Money who get their wealth from robbing houses. By abusing the power of Alex’s dad’s security company, they are able to gain accesses to keys that help them break into houses. Alex, who wants nothing to do with burglarizing the home of a disabled person, feels pressured to do so for Rocky who is trying to move out of the state, because he has feelings for her. Alex’s change of mind cost him a lot. It’s quite sad that they wanted to rob someone who is completely blind for his money, well so I thought. The three burglars break into the Blind Man’s house thinking he would be an easy target, which I completely agreed with at first, but I was completely wrong!

The Blind Man is an army veterinarian who’s able to use his military training against anyone who is a threat. He made headline news after he filed a lawsuit against the young lady who killed his only child in a car accident. The death of his only child plays a major role in some of the twisted things that occurred throughout the film. The burglars will get more than what they bargained for.

The Blind Man’s disability in Don’t Breathe is seen as horrifying as the camera focuses on his eyes. Even though there are no effects to make his eyes different from typical blind people, the movie makes his disability seem petrifying. He doesn’t really speak, and when he does, it’s more like a child learning to speak. Blindness has strictly become the Blind Man’s identity. He has been stripped of all identity other than that of a blind man. Not only was he blind, but he had no actual voice.  The only time you typically hear horror music is when the cameras zoom in on The Blind Man’s face, as if his disability is something to be afraid of. The way disability is portrayed in “Don’t Breathe” might persuade the audience to begin to believe that people who have a disability are evil and all have a dark side.

The evilness was so intense that I was trying to help the abled against the disabled, not that it worked. I had a few outbursts when I felt that Rocky was breathing too loud. I was angry with her and told her she was stupid because of what was happening to Alex. I was trying to lead them by pointing in the direction where they should go to escape. While they were in the basement it looked like they were going to be able to escape from the house, which from the looks at first seemed there was no way out. On their route to escape, to my shocking to surprise, the young lady who killed the Blind Man’s daughter was tied to a bed in the Basement. I won’t give away the reason why he had her down there, but it only added to my point that The Blind Man is not a victim.

The most disturbing scene of all is when he ties Rocky to the bed and attempts to insert his sperm in her with a turkey baster. Yeah I know shocking HUH? The Blind Man mentioned how he would never force himself on a woman, as if that justified what he was attempting to do. The only time the man speaks and you hear him clearly is when he is talking to Rocky during this scene. Tolentino refers to them as cat and mouse and says, “both cat and mice are given broad excuses for their savagery, at least at first. Rocky has been abused all her life, and wants to protect her sister; the blind man is grieving for his daughter, and wants to protect his house.” I referred to this as disturbing, but it is important because throughout the whole movie, he has no actual voice; his disability was how we identified him. By the end of the scene you will be in SHOCK!

By the time it got to this scene in the movie, I forgot that the Blind Man was the victim at first.  The emotion I first felt for the Blind Man was empathy, but as the film progresses, the sinister or evil trope becomes obvious. Bringing many questions, like how did he get to this point? What’s causing him to do this?

In “Don’t Breathe” the Blind Man lived in an abandoned neighborhood, but was in fact rich. Someone could quickly conclude that something is odd about him. He’s not the one that the audience is supposed to feel empathy for- Rocky actually is, in which I totally disagree with. However, she’s the one in a bad living situation trying to make a better living for her sister, yet I felt empathy for Alex. You will see how easily someone with a good heart can be taken advantage of, and how having a good heart can put you in very dangerous situations where you’ll find there’s no way out. It seems as if the Blind Man is the problem. In most horror movies, the person with the disability is always portrayed as the bad guy. It may not be obvious at first, but you’ll always eventually see their wicked ways.

The way “Don’t breathe” portrays disability could possibly be a problem. The man is blind, and his disability is seen as evil as he tortures three young adults. The audience is supposed to see disability as a weakness, because people who don’t have a disability don’t think people who are disabled have the same capabilities as them. But it is terrifying to see someone being able to do all the things The Blind Man did in the movie. Why would he want to do the things he did to them? There’s also the fact that the Blind Man is actually played by a non-blind person, but that’s another conversation. The man’s blindness is not see as a burden to him. The audience could easily interpret that Rocky in fact is the burden. You may be disgusted as you watch certain scenes play out, but those are the scenes that draw the audience’s attention. The turning points, the plot, everything!

If you are looking for a movie that will leave you in shock, if you want to see a movie that leaves you questioning why and what happens next, Don’t Breathe is the movie for you. This movie shows a victim turn into a villain, and the villain turn into a victim. You may not understand now, but you will once you watch. Don’t Breathe is a must-see movie. Fede Alvare did an awesome job creating this movie. You will have many outbursts as many viewers and myself had. You will feel like you’re a part of the film. Even though people may not agree with the way disability is portrayed in the film, it’s what makes the film worth watching. If the film was made any different, it wouldn’t be as successful. I give Don’t Breathe five out of five stars. I encourage everyone to go see it!

By Imani Davenport, a Sophomore at The Ohio State University majoring in Nursing.