Hush Netflix Movie Review

Hush (2016)

Hush - Horror for the hearing impaired.

Watch Hush on Netflix
Written by: Mike Flanagan, Kate Siegel
Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Starring: Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco
Rated: R

Plot:
This Netflix distributed horror movie is about a deaf woman trapped in a cabin in the woods.

Verdict:
Horror movies are hard to judge. They often attempt a mood rather than a logical story. Hush creates great tension, but the inconsistencies leave a lot to be desired. It doesn't rely on jump scares, but it also doesn't hold reality in high regard.
Skip it.

Review:
A deaf writer trapped in a cabin is an interesting twist for an overused horror movie cliche. The attacker could sneak right up on her without her realizing.

My hopes for the movie were soon questioned. The movie makes a point to tell us that the vibrations from the fire alarm vibrations are important to alert Maddie. Then a few minutes later, she doesn't notice someone beating on her door for dear life two feet away. Is it a vibration proof door? What's the deal? In less than fifteen minutes the movie unnecessarily contradicts itself.
The movie easily could have stated the blinding strobe from the fire alarm is what alerts her instead of this major inconsistency. That's not even mentioning that the actress purposely never turns her head towards the door which would happen just because she's walking around the kitchen.

I initially though the attacker knew she was deaf, but he then knocks on the door to get her attention and realizes Maddie must be deaf. Why wasn't he concerned about being heard just prior?

In the next scene Maddie reacts to her phone ringing. How? It has a strobe, but the phone was placed back down, blocking the strobe. She would have placed it back up to notice the strobe.

A deaf protagonist was a great idea, but the realism flies out the window so quickly that it's obviously just a gimmick. Logic has a lot to explain. This could almost be a comedy with a killer that doesn't have to be quiet. In most movies, being quiet creates the tension. He needed some mambas, squeaking clown shoes, or at least a scene where he knocks over a cymbal display.

Whenever someone is behind you, you notice. Is this due to our hears hearing sound waves bounce differently in the room? Part of it has to be, that and light/shadows bouncing differently. A nice scene in the movie, but it did cause me to question the authenticity. There's a scene where a car key fob won't activate the alarm though a glass door. That's just not true.

I wanted to know more about the attacker other than he's just deranged. We never get a reason as to why he does this. It's obviously just a game for him as he purposely delays his attack just to scare Maddy. He's toying with her.

The tension and mood created are really well done, but the rest of the movie isn't as good. I've liked Gallagher in other movies, but he's truly frightening in this.

The ending gets even worse with big lapses in logic, unnecessary exposition and a predictable ending.