Hush [REVIEW] by Kyle Laugh — Beyond The Void Horror Podcast

A hearing impaired novelist is forced to fight for her life when a crazed man attempts to stalk her in her remote home. Planning on killing her by the nights end, Maddie must make life or death decisions in order to outsmart her potential killer.

Hush is directed and co written by Mike Flanagan and co written by lead actress Kate Siegel. Both whom are known for films such as Gerald’s Game, Oculus and Ouija: Origin of Evil.

The film also stars John Gallagher Jr. ( 10 Cloverfield Lane, The Belko Experiment, The Newsroom ), Michael Trucco ( Disjointed, The Bye Bye Man, Next ) and Samantha Sloyan ( Grey’s Anatomy ).

The film was made on a million dollar budget and was picked up by Netflix for worldwide distribution through their streaming platform.

As a sign to horror fans that the film is worthwhile, it was praised by both Stephen King and William Friedkin with King stating “How good is Hush? Up there with Halloween or even more, Wait Until Dark.” and Friedkin claiming “Hush is a great horror film on Netflix. Terrifying!”

These statements alone should be good enough to get you in the mood for the film, but if you need a bit more convincing, i’ve got it right here for you.

This was actually my second time watching Hush and I must say that it still had the same feel and effect on me that it did the first time around.

The characters are real. They have the feel of people you would meet up or interact with on a daily basis, displaying to viewers their day to day lives and the issues they would face on a regular basis. Something which most of us can relate to. Mind you, while on that note, being hearing impaired or forced to face a killer is not a likely typical occurrence for most, but it makes for a damn good film.

What I could appreciate the most from Hush is that all the key elements making this a truly great film, are given to use right from the start. The tools used by someone with such an impairment are presented to us, explained and eventually re-introduced to us by the movie’s end. And while this is just a small example of what you can easily pick up on while watching the film, there are many more items, thoughts and ideas being thrown around giving us, as viewers, a playbook of possibilities to aid in piecing together Maddie’s next move or how the ending can be played out.

If I were to compare this to another film, I would have to say “You’re Next” as it comes closest to resembling “Hush”, minus the use of a large cast, multiple killers and lacking the variety of kills. In place of extreme violence, it chooses to play a more realistic game where he victim is forced to use thinking and planning over strength, fighting skills or even weapons for that matter.

From an acting standpoint, Kate Siegel did a wonderful job portraying a highly intelligent character who is able to figure things out on the fly all while running various scenarios through her mind and what their specific outcomes would likely be. This allows her to make the best decision for the sequence of events she’s forced to face.

What really took the film to the next level however, was John Gallagher Jr. He took the role and just soared with it, outdoing his cast mates by leaps and bounds. He genuinely looked like a crazed lunatic who had nothing more in mind than to cause pain, anguish and fear to all those around him. So much so, that I didn't even recognize him the first time I saw the film, but with the ability to view the film with a fresh set of eyes going in, I was able to clue in to whom he was right away.

The story is actually very simple and to the point, making it an easy watch for those who like to be distracted by their phones while watching a movie. You get a clear ending without any major questions but may be possibly that you have a one small one, although this question is easy to be confused by as it can be interpreted in many ways, depending on how you look at it.

If you’ve yet to see this, I suggest you get on Netflix immediately in order to view it for yourself!

8 out of 10.

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Have you listened to the newest Beyond The Void episode?! We talk about some seriously messed up Asian Horror Films with our friend Don Anelli. Check it out! or on iTunes Here.