Streaming: Netflix
Warnings:
Graphic Violence
Explicit Language
Frightening Scenes
Rating: R
Hush is a horror/thriller about a deaf and mute writer who lives a solitary life in the woods who must fight for her life when a masked killer suddenly appears at her window. The film is directed and edited by Mike Flanagan and stars Kate Siegal who also co-wrote the film with Flanagan. The film also stars John Gallagher Jr., Michael Trucco, Samantha Sloyan and Emilia (Emma) Graves. Hush is certainly a different type of horror film when it comes to the use of sound to add to the shock of the scene, since the actor is portraying a deaf and mute character, there is very little dialogue which makes the film rely more heavily on cinematography, the screenplay and the acting. Hush received generally favorable reviews, Benjamin Lee from The Guardian stated that Hush, “offers ingenious suspense,” and awarded it 4 out of 5 stars. The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest in 2016 and was later released to Netflix. Hush is a film that had big aspirations while working through limitations of things like only having a single location to shoot at as well as a deaf and mute character. Overall the acting, the cinematography and the screenplay were solid and allowed the film to become a modern slasher that is both enjoyable and different in approach.
The first element of the film to note is the screenplay. Written by Mike Flanagan and his wife Kate Siegal, the screenplay went through multiple edits that changed the story drastically. Originally they were planning on setting the film in their own house, but this caused a lot of issues with filming and they decided to film in Alabama. When they started to scout locations in Alabama, they couldn’t find a location that matched their house enough so they had to significantly change the script since a lot of it centered around filming in their house. The screenplay turned out to be an interesting story that allows the audience to follow a character that wouldn’t usually be the main focus of a horror. Even though Kate Siegal isn’t a deaf and mute actress herself, it makes sense that she was cast for the film because her character used to be able to hear and talk. The film contains less than 15 minutes of dialogue, and most of that dialogue is the main character talking to herself in the third person throughout the horrific event. The screenplay itself is certainly ambitious but I think Hush accomplishes making a terrifying horror film that is almost completely silent and also inclusively enjoyable..
The second element of Hush that is strong is the acting, even though there are only 5 people total in the film, Kate Siegal does a wonderful job carrying the film and keeping the audience interested. It’s especially a task to keep an audience interested when there is minimal dialogue and barely anyone else in the film, but Hush accomplished making this slasher interesting and keeps the audience on the edge of their seat. The film was shot in 18 days which is understandable given the lack of dialogue and the small cast, this allows the cast to be able to actually feel out the scene and portray the emotion they are attempting to capture. Kate Siegal is always great in her roles, but this one in particular was challenging so it’s great to see that it worked out in the end.
Finally, another extremely important aspect of the film is the cinematography. This is another element that carried the film because of the lack of dialogue and lack of a variety of cast members. The cinematography was executed by James Kniest who is known for Annabelle, The Last Witch Hunter, and The Bye Bye Man. Through the cinematography, the horror truly shined, the space was used in a clever way and the camerawork added to the shock of some of the extremely graphic scenes. Director Flanagan found challenges shooting in a single location and had to work with Kniest to plan the cinematography to keep the film interesting, especially when considering the mute protagonist. They decided to use a steadicam to follow Siegal’s every move along with a boom mic and a spotter to make the movement more natural and dynamic. The result of this sound recording did not work out and had to be redone in post. Even though the sound recording didn’t work out as planned, the cinematography didn’t disappoint, there are scenes that are unexpected, frightening and unforgettable when she is getting stalked by a maskless violent stranger. In result of the shocking cinematography, the audience becomes engrossed in the film rooting for the deaf and mute character and ultimately worrying about her well being. This shows that the cinematography is a success, even with the challenges of the screenplay and the lack of dialogue, mixed with the minimal actors, the film accomplishes their goals in making a terrifying almost silent slasher.
Hush is a unique horror film simply because of the minimalism and the mute/deaf protagonist. This representation in horror is a great step forward when considering differently abled individuals. Even though the actress isn’t a mute or deaf actress, she spent time learning sign language for the film and tried to get into the mindset of a mute and deaf individual. More actors need to approach their roles this way, especially when representing a group they are not necessarily a part of. From the cinematography, screenplay and the acting, Hush was ambitious from the start but successfully accomplished those aspirations with clever camerwork, intriguing acting, and a solid script. If you wish to watch a horror thriller that is different and still incredibly scary, I highly recommend Hush.