Hush is a 2016 American psychological horror film directed by Mike Flanagan (Gerald’s Game; Absentia; Oculus; Before I Wake) from a screenplay co-written with Kate Siegel for Intrepid Pictures and Blumhouse Productions.
The movie stars Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr. (10 Cloverfield Lane), Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan and Emma Graves.
Plot:
After an accident robbed her of her hearing as a teenager, author Maddie Young began to lead a life of seclusion. As an adult, she spends her time in an isolated cabin out in the woods, but Maddie soon realises she is no longer alone and is now being hunted by a masked killer…
Reviews:
“The sound design also reminds us of what Maddie doesn’t have at her disposal, and how this can both a strength and a weakness. Sure, Flanagan could have easily filtered the entire film through her lack of hearing so that we could experience it firsthand. But the heightened audio is more complex in its final result.” Consequence of Sound
“Flanagan directs it all like an old hand at the genre himself, on just his fourth feature. Working with cinematographer James Kniest and serving as his own editor, he frames and times the stalking and action for maximum impact, and while most of the terror is psychological, he doesn’t shy away from some painful-looking bloodshed when the scenes call for it.” Fangoria
“It’s no surprise that most of the action unfolds without dialogue, and that setup provides Flanagan an opportunity to play with sound in creative ways — dropping out audio entirely to put us into Maddie’s shoes, or delivering a sudden jolt when appropriate. Bursts of loud noise are a genre cliche, but rarely used as effectively, or purposefully, as they are here.” Variety
“Some of the best moments in Hush are when the film plays with Maddie’s disability. There’s an extra layer of tension in this film as we see scenes with the killer standing inches away from Maddie and she’s completely oblivious to his presence. In any other horror film this would be an annoying contrivance, but here it makes sense given Maddie’s condition.” Horror-Movies.ca
Release:
After premiering at the SXSW festival, Hush was released on US Netflix on April 8, 2016.
Trailer:
