Plot twists are one of the darker horses in the cinematic
storyteller’s tool box. In the right hands, it can not only create a phenomenal
switch-up to the story but also add whole new dimensions to the events within.
In the wrong hands, it can come across like someone trying to guess what number
they’re thinking of and the answer turns out to be “elephant”; just because we
didn’t see it coming doesn’t make it any less stupid. And even then, the danger
with some of the more famous plot twists is that they end up becoming the main
thing that the film is remembered for, pushing its other noteworthy elements to
the side in the minds of most filmgoers.
I bring all this up because this film’s
approach to marketing, at least around here, has put very heavy emphasis on the
fact that this film has a major plot twist. I don’t know about any of you but I’ve
always seen this as a pretty wrong-headed way to get people to see a particular
feature. I always thought that twists were most effective when you had no idea
that they were going to happen, so imagine how it feels sitting through an
entire film knowing that a twist is
going to occur. The irksome trailer strikes again, only this time it isn’t just
my own paranoia that says it could negatively affect the overall product. So,
is it damaged all that much in light of this? This is Don’t Breathe.
