For our first N22 Video Club, we've selected 3 choice pieces from our collection for a very codified genre: Home Invasion!
#3 Invisible Man
The 75th variation of the Invisible Man, the film by Leigh Whannell released in 2020, could have been just another flavorless remake, but the surprise is significant... By choosing the victim's perspective (a woman persecuted by her husband, a tech genius who fakes his own death), it counters its predecessors (like Verhoeven's Hollow Man) and offers a modern take on domestic violence and the indifference in which victims can be immersed. Produced by Blumhouse (the champions of low-cost horror with high returns like "Paranormal Activity"), the film avoids an overabundance of special effects and budget (7 million dollars) in favor of what's invisible and unspeakable... which is far more terrifying and realistic. A very pleasant surprise for this cult character, a regular of the "Home Invasion" genre, with utmost discretion.
#2 Don’t Breathe :
Fede Alvarez's first film, which went unnoticed in 2016, has since made its way among genre enthusiasts and carved out a prime spot in our Video Club. Why? Because Alvarez brilliantly reverses the roles, turning predators into prey. Robbing a blind man seems easy at first glance (lol)... Except when he's a dangerous psychopath, and his mastery of the darkness in his own home gives him a considerable advantage. The highly inspired direction and the constant tension of this horror film quickly make up for the characters' lack of depth. The Uruguayan thus converts the try after his excellent "Evil Dead" remake. He will be at the helm of the next "Alien," again accompanied by his faithful co-writer Rodo Sayagues.
#1 Home Alone
What would a Video Club be without "Home Alone"? This film takes the top spot in our selection of the week! We'll spare you the pitch that everyone knows, but let's emphasize the excessive violence of this quintessential "Home Invasion." "Don't Breathe," previously mentioned, must have drawn inspiration from the sadism of John Hughes (the screenwriter) and his brilliant idea to transform a seemingly weak victim (a child vs. a blind man) into a formidable executioner. Kevin McCallister, beyond being a brat, has undoubtedly become a first-rate serial killer. Beaten, Nailed, Burned... The Wet Bandits, our duo of crooks (hello Orelsan and Gringe), will long remember the ultraviolence of this 8-year-old cherub. 33 years later, this classic is still as enjoyable and remains THE benchmark for the "Home Invasion" genre.
