Warning: spoilers ahead!
The latest horror movie to hit theaters this year [1] is Don't Breathe, a heart-stopping horror thriller about three friends who decide to burgle the wrong person, who actually never gets a name beyond "The Blind Man." Whether or not you're going to see it, we have a feeling you're morbidly curious about how the end of the film pans out. And, well, it basically rolls out twist after twist after twist, almost to the point of exhaustion. Wondering where the biggest turns happen throughout the film? We're breaking all seven down right here, so this is your last chance to leave if you're spoiler-averse.
The Girl in the Basement
- The Setup: Alex (Dylan Minnette), Money (Daniel Zovatto), and Rocky (Jane Levy) try to rob a blind veteran (Stephen Lang) — who came into a bunch of money after his daughter got hit by a car and killed — by breaking into his house. Alex's dad owns the security company that installed the blind man's alarm system. So, Alex has a remote that will disable the alarm, making the break-in that much easier. The blind man got the money from the woman who killed his daughter when she bought the man's silence. The blind man kills their friend Money, and Rocky and Alex scramble down into the basement in hopes of finding a way out.
- The Twist: So, here's the thing. The woman who killed the blind man's daughter is being held captive in the basement. Basically, he feels like she got off easy for the murder of his daughter, and decides to trap her in his basement as punishment. There's a catch, but we'll get to that later.
Death by Hedgeclippers, Sort Of
- The Setup: During one particularly violent scuffle, the blind man grabs Alex and beats the ever-loving crap out of him. His hands find a pair of hedgeclippers nearby, and he plunges them into Alex's chest, leaving him to die.
- The Second Twist: It's not until later that we learn Alex has survived. At the last second, he'd moved behind the dead body of his friend Money, who was lying nearby. The hedgeclippers are in Money's chest, and not Alex's.
The Real Reason Behind the Captivity
- The Setup: So, all this time, the general assumption is that the blind man is seeking justice for his dead daughter. That's why he's keeping that woman in his basement. But, well, there's something else he needs her for.
- The Third Twist: Turns out, the blind man isn't just keeping the woman down there for nothing. He tells Rocky that, well, if she killed his child, it's only fair that she should give him another one. So, he's impregnated her, and he'll set her free once she gives birth. Unfortunately, she dies in the whole scuffle between Rocky, Alex, and the blind man, so Rocky becomes his new hostage. She must bear the same burden.
Double-Check That Lock, Sir
- The Setup: Since Alex has survived the death-by-hedgeclippers scenario, he's able to rescue Rocky right before the blind man successfully puts a baby in her. (By the way, the means of impregnation involve thawed-out semen from a freezer and a turkey baster.) Basically, Alex beats down the blind man, releases Rocky from her shackles, and then in turn shackles the blind man. They finally go to make their escape.
- The Fourth Twist: Um, so, the blind man somehow escapes the basement shackles and gets all the way upstairs before Alex and Rocky can escape. He shoots Alex just as the front door opens, and Alex dies.
Just When You Thought She Made It
- The Setup: OK, so, Alex is dead. But, hey, at least Rocky makes it outside! She runs for it, but not without the blind man unleashing his blood-thirsty dog. Rocky ends up making it to her getaway car, barely, and concocts a quick plan that leaves the dog trapped in the car.
- The Fifth Twist: Well, even after her long, heart-stopping tangle with the dog, the blind man has managed to find her after all. He knocks her out and drags her back to his home.
The Last-Ditch Alarm Remote
- The Setup: Remember how I told you they had a remote that would disable the blind man's security system? Well, that very same remote also has a panic button that will sound the alarm and call the police. Alex is the last person to have the remote. When he dies at the front door, he drops it right there. Rocky remembers the remote, and the panic button, just as the blind man drags her back into his house. It's the only option she has left.
- The Sixth Twist: Just when we think it's over (again), just when the blind man is dragging Rocky back down into the basement, she grabs the remote and hits the panic button. The alarm sounds, and the blind man is rendered helpless with the blaring sounds of the security system.
The Unexpected Survivor
- The Setup: With the blind man incapacitated by the alarm, Rocky beats the crap out of him with a nearby crowbar. She gets in a bunch of solid hits, and then he falls into the basement, on his back. Seems like he's dead, so Rocky makes a run for it before the police arrive.
- The Seventh Twist: Any horror movie buff will know that it's almost impossible to kill a villain. The blind man isn't dead after all. Rocky may have made off the with money, but if the blind man is still alive, can she ever really be safe? Sounds like a sequel, if you ask us.