‘Drop’ Review: New Blumhouse Thriller Demands Your Attention
Digidrop isn’t real, it can’t hurt you.
★★★
In the age of moviegoers making a habit of taking photos of the screen, live-tweeting films, and fighting for their right to text in the theater, Christopher Landon’s “Drop” requires a “Do Not Disturb” approach.
The film follows Meghann Fahy’s Violet, a single mom going on her first date since her abusive husband died. When she sits down with her date, Henry, played by Brandon Sklenar, she begins to receive threatening “Digidrop” (an in-universe equivalent to Apple’s AirDrop feature) messages. The messaging menace forces Violet to perform increasingly insidious tasks, ultimately resulting in the command to poison Henry, with the threat of her son and sister’s life.
Please Silence Your Cell Pho- Actually, Turn Them Off Completely.
I knew going into this film that I wasn’t about to see the next great American-horror masterpiece. The premise was a little kooky (it’s actually based on a real-life event, believe it or not), and I’m very familiar with Blumhouse’s brand of flamboyant horror, but I gave it an honest shot. I’m not too good for low-budget horror- in fact, I would say it’s where I fit right in.
What I did not expect was a genuinely fun thriller that forces you to look up if you want in on the action.
Though cell phones are at the center of the film, “Drop” doesn’t give you a chance to look at yours. Nearly the entire conflict is portrayed through text on the screen- and Fahy isn’t reading it out loud for you. This approach forces viewers to lock in on the film for fear of missing a message, which would greatly hinder both their understanding and enjoyment of the film. This allows for the audience to empathize with Violet, essentially placing them in her shoes, feeling the stakes that much more.
An anti-screen time movie that’s all about a woman racking up her screen-time. Revolutionary. Show-stopping.
But seriously, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It’s nothing groundbreaking, but it works well as a thriller that incorporates modern technology. Some of its incorporation of pop culture is cringe and outdated (see: Brittany Broski’s kombucha meme) at first glance, but once the sender is revealed, it’s actually quite funny and fitting.
The Actors Make It
Fahy is immediately sympathetic and champion-able as Violet. She always brings tenderness and heart to her roles, and it was nice to see that skill showcased in this genre. I’d love to see her try her hand at an honest-to-God horror. I need to see her as a final girl.
The dark-horse standout for me was Reed Diamond as Richard. His performance is delicious and scene-stealing. In an effort to not give too much away, that’s all I’ll say.
Sklenar does well with what he’s given, which, admittedly, isn’t much. He’s mostly just there to be the catalyst for the plot and to help the audience make a more meaningful connection with Violet by being an easy way for them to drop backstory for her. He is charming and kind enough for the audience to root for him to live, but not so much so that they would root for him over Violet.
(Also, I realized about halfway through that the pianist, Phil, played by Ed Weeks, also played Jeremy Reed in “The Mindy Project,” and I sat up straight in my chair like that Leo meme from “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.”)
Using The Space
The film does a good job at fully utilizing the skyscraper restaurant setting, which is where 95% of the film takes place. Violet traverses nearly every inch of the place over the course of the film’s runtime. It almost starts to feel like an escape-room, complete with in-character staff that offer help or provide obstacles- if only there was a key hidden under the mat.
The explosive moment at the end of the second act releases the tension that builds over the course of the film by virtue of being so high up in the air in a room with a wall made of glass. I wish the sequence was a bit longer, or had a bit more going on, but it got the job done.
Worth The Watch
Overall, this was not a half-bad movie to use one of my AMC A-list slots on. I had a nice afternoon with Violet and co., even if they didn’t feel the same about the predicament. It’s not a movie you’ll walk out of the theater changed by, or even really telling your friends about, but it’s worth the price of admission and a large Mr. Pibb from a Coca-Cola Freestyle Machine. Then again, in the current sociopolitical climate, anything that makes me step outside of the nightmare that lives within the confines of my phone screen for a little while is worth it- even if it’s a nightmare itself.