Go Back  DVD Talk Forum > DVD Discussions > DVD Reviews and Recommendations
Reload this Page >

"Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

DVD Reviews and Recommendations Read, Post and Request DVD Reviews.

"Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Old 09-23-16, 10:23 PM
  #1  
DVD Talk Legend
Thread Starter
 
Chad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Somewhere Hot Scoville Units: 9,999,999 Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Posts: 12,258
Received 811 Likes on 316 Posts
"Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21





Hush (2016)



Selected by arw6040



IMDB ENTRY

Netflix

ALYXSTARR LINK

_______________________________________


These "October Horror Movie Challenge" threads are for the discussion of the films in the 31 FILM SUBSET list.

The plan is for everyone to watch this film on the October day in the thread title, and to start discussing it the morning of the following day.
You may start discussion early if you want, but the preferred plan is for this to be as much of a group exercise as possible, with all of us viewing it "together" and discussing after.

Of course, you are totally encouraged to participate in these threads even if you haven't watched the movie on the designated day.
Even if you haven't watched it in years, or are not participating in the Horror Challenge, please feel free to chime in.



Spoiler tags aren't always used in here, so if you have yet to see the film BEWARE OF POSSIBLE SPOILERS.
_______________________________________



S
P
O
N
S
O
R
E
D

B
Y




















S
P
O
N
S
O
R
E
D

B
Y



2016 DISCUSSION | 2016 LISTS


Last edited by Chad; 11-05-16 at 06:07 PM.
Old 10-21-16, 10:41 AM
  #2  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Lost Highway
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

I enjoyed it. Some token plot elements, but it worked. I question at the end whether she lived or not. We've seen how vivid her imagination can be. And the cat just appearing there at her side I would think to be a clue. It also seemed she had a crushed larynx with her labored breathing. She closes her eyes on the floor and the film finishes with her closing her eyes on the step.

I could go either way.
Old 10-21-16, 03:48 PM
  #3  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 8,899
Received 180 Likes on 125 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Originally Posted by Dick Laurent
I enjoyed it. Some token plot elements, but it worked. I question at the end whether she lived or not. We've seen how vivid her imagination can be. And the cat just appearing there at her side I would think to be a clue. It also seemed she had a crushed larynx with her labored breathing. She closes her eyes on the floor and the film finishes with her closing her eyes on the step.

I could go either way.
I agree ... it can be interpreted to go either way (depending on what sort of ending you want). I was leaning to it being her imagination since the police seemed to be arriving in such great numbers so quickly ... kind of like her "dream" response.

How does "911" work for the mute anyway? Did she text in a message?
Old 10-21-16, 03:57 PM
  #4  
Challenge Guru & Comic Nerd
 
Trevor's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 1999
Location: spiritually, Minnesota
Posts: 36,866
Received 670 Likes on 448 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

It was good, with fewer screaming at the screen moments than in most films of this type. Still too many though. After stabbing him in the tub was the worst; she not only dropped her weapon, but didn't pick up the one he dropped.
Old 10-21-16, 07:51 PM
  #5  
Senior Member
 
numbercrunch's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: new orleans
Posts: 836
Likes: 0
Received 88 Likes on 62 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

it was so so for me. i felt like it was a vanilla home invasion flick with nothing new to bring to the table
Old 10-21-16, 08:02 PM
  #6  
Senior Member
 
arw6040's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 301
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

After hearing all the praise for this film I might have had my hopes too high liking this director's other work and seeing diversity with a main character with a hearing loss such as myself (though I can hear pretty well with hearing aids so can't relate to complete deafness) but for the most part it was middle of the road for me, the sound perspectives were interesting as well as the plotting on her head as a writer. Regarding the ending not sure if it's in her head or not but I'm fine either way.
Old 10-21-16, 08:02 PM
  #7  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Lost Highway
Posts: 1,125
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Originally Posted by brainee
I agree ... it can be interpreted to go either way (depending on what sort of ending you want). I was leaning to it being her imagination since the police seemed to be arriving in such great numbers so quickly ... kind of like her "dream" response.

How does "911" work for the mute anyway? Did she text in a message?
No, she just dialed the number, pushed "talk" and then laid the phone down. Presumably the 911 dispatcher would hear the smoke alarm and they would use cell towers to pinpoint location. Now that I think about it she had to have been imagining the end. I don't think emergency response can be that fast with no initial info given.

Most 911 dispatchers can accept text now, but not all. I would think that dialing the number and then waiting for the tracking is all that can be done. Unless dispatch can hear you breath and you come up with some sort of button pressing signals to communicate.

Originally Posted by numbercrunch
it was so so for me. i felt like it was a vanilla home invasion flick with nothing new to bring to the table
Pretty much how I felt. But I do think parts of the "deaf" handicap were interesting, but there was so much more that could have been explored.
Old 10-21-16, 10:40 PM
  #8  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 4,051
Received 213 Likes on 140 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Hush is good at maintaining a sense of tension with such as small group (basically just a potential victim and a killer with two other disposable characters barely in the movie).

When I first saw this I was sure it was just a visual of her writing a book playing out on screen as she worked through the plot. With this interpretation I think it's interesting that there's a tense movie about what is ultimately a boring task (watching someone write). Plus that smile at the end seems to imply she is under no real distress.

What is 'the point' of her being deaf? It seems like a cheap shortcut to justify the killer dancing around an overly ignorant victim; but ultimately Hush doesn't seem to over exploit this. The deaf angle really adds to the ambiguity.

Overall I like Hush a lot.

Last edited by Undeadcow; 10-21-16 at 10:50 PM.
Old 10-22-16, 02:04 PM
  #9  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Ghost World
Posts: 1,601
Likes: 0
Received 13 Likes on 12 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

This was my first experience with a Mike Flanagan film and I really enjoy. I would echo some opinions here in that it wasn't that original, but it was a solid horror action film that borrowed from previous home invasion pictures.

However, I watched Wrecker earlier in the day and that was just a bad rip-off of Spielberg's Jaws, without much skill or talent behind it. Hush probably made a stronger impression on me, because I'd just watched something pretty crappy.

Still an awesome pick and I think most horror fans will appreciate it.
Old 10-22-16, 02:52 PM
  #10  
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

This film for some reason really held my attention. I usually get restless during movies and get up and grab a snack from the fridge, but during Hush I did not pause it. I liked the cat and mouse feel of it. This was like a thriller with some bloody violence. However, felt like the slasher was a little too confident. There is always weapons lying around the house that can hurt you. It kind of bugged me how careless the slasher was.
Old 10-22-16, 03:03 PM
  #11  
DVD Talk Gold Edition
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 2,765
Received 40 Likes on 25 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Originally Posted by ross_r
This film for some reason really held my attention. I usually get restless during movies and get up and grab a snack from the fridge, but during Hush I did not pause it. I liked the cat and mouse feel of it. This was like a thriller with some bloody violence. However, felt like the slasher was a little too confident. There is always weapons lying around the house that can hurt you. It kind of bugged me how careless the slasher was.
I wouldn't say he was TOO confident. He knew that he would have been killed by the other guy who showed up. He knew what he was capable of and what he wasn't. I just think, knowing she was deaf, he would be able to move around without being noticed...and that she is a female. Let's be honest, most male killers easily think they can take down a woman in these types of films.
Old 10-23-16, 10:58 AM
  #12  
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
 
rbrown498's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Posts: 4,413
Received 219 Likes on 161 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Originally Posted by ross_r
I usually get restless during movies and get up and grab a snack from the fridge, but during Hush I did not pause it.
I am SO glad that I'm not the only one that does this! I was able to make it through Hush with a minimum of pausing (mainly just to answer a few texts), but I didn't think that I was EVER going to get through a few films this month.

As to the merits of Hush, I thought that it was a HUGE improvement over director Mike Flanagan's Oculus, which was far too gimmicky for its own good. I'm looking forward to catching his Ouija movie as well--I'll probably try to check it out next weekend.
Old 10-23-16, 10:25 PM
  #13  
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
 
clckworang's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: The toe nail of Texas
Posts: 9,547
Received 750 Likes on 488 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

I heard good things about this one but forgot the name of it prior to the challenge. Very happy to see it show up here!

I think I'm predisposed to liking this film because I'm a huge slasher fan. I wasn't disappointed. I really got into the mind of the lead character. I kept thinking of all the disadvantages you would have being deaf in a situation like that. I was totally wrapped up in the movie when a friend called me in the last 10 minutes of the film after I had just answered a text. I nearly bit his head off! Let me get back to my movie!

I kept wondering about the actor playing the killer. I couldn't place from where I knew him and had to look it up. I couldn't believe he was that guy in The Newsroom. I thought he was effective for the most part, and I appreciated that the killer recognized some of his own limitations.

Yes, the movie did fall into some familiar slasher tropes, but I really liked it. I can see myself revisiting it at some point.
Old 10-24-16, 08:32 AM
  #14  
DVD Talk Special Edition
 
WillieMLF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Not Every Man Really Lives
Posts: 1,282
Received 145 Likes on 97 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

Originally Posted by brainee
I agree ... it can be interpreted to go either way (depending on what sort of ending you want). I was leaning to it being her imagination since the police seemed to be arriving in such great numbers so quickly ... kind of like her "dream" response.

How does "911" work for the mute anyway? Did she text in a message?
At least with the deaf person I know, there is relay person when she dials out, but that went right out the door with this movie.

I thought the movie was really well done. I wanted to introduce this film to a deaf friend, but she's already quite anxious, so I probably shouldn't. That mask was really unnerving, but I really question the use of a crossbow. This is the second crossbow killer I can remember.
Old 10-27-16, 10:51 AM
  #15  
DVD Talk Legend
 
Spiderbite's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Birmingham, AL
Posts: 16,043
Received 1,011 Likes on 616 Posts
Re: "Hush" Reviews/Discussion - 2016 Horror Challenge: Day 21

I wasn't that impressed with this movie. It did have some harsh violence and I liked that they didn't give the killer a backstory or felt they had to explain everything but several items irritated me to the point of not enjoying it as much as others did.

If she is deaf and mute, does that mean her peripheral vision has also quit working. It never seems to work unless the story needs it to. Same with her feeling vibrations. She can feel the vibrations from the alarm or from a text from her phone but can't someone banging the shit out of her door three feet away? Or a friend violently getting stabbed into the door 25 times? Or feel the glass breaking behind her in the bathroom? Yet she can feel the killer's breath? Eh. These are just a few of the examples of how I was taken out of the movie. When that happens throughout, it makes it hard to enjoy it completely.

And don't get me started on the times she had the chance to kill the guy but then didn't finish it. And the boyfriend of the other girl takes his sweet time figuring out that a guy with a massive neck tattoo that is dressed like a normal guy isn't a deputy? Whatever.

I will say that there is some good gore. I was disappointed when the bashing of the deaf girl turned out to be bullshit. That would have been an awesome twist if real. And as far as jump scares go, I am not usually affected but when she was climbing off the roof and the arrow got her in the leg...that made me jump.

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.