Hush
4K Collector’s Edition review by Bobby Blakey
Before director Mike Flannigan brought the sequel to The Shining, Doctor Sleep he brought a different kind of terror to the big screen with his 2016 film Hush. The film stars Kate Siegel, John Gallagher Jr., Samantha Sloyan, and Michael Trucco and now thanks to the Scream Factory brand, it is making its way onto 4K for the first time.
Hush follows Maddie Young, a deaf-mute horror author who has decided to live alone in an isolated cottage in the woods, far from the commotion of the city. A terrifying mask-wearing attacker breaks into her haven, turning her calm existence into a nightmare. Maddie is unaware of how vulnerable she is due to her inability to hear or talk, which makes her the ideal victim for this persistent intruder. In a terrible struggle for her life as the tension mounts, Maddie is left to use her cunning and scant supplies to elude her unrelenting assailant. Her tenacity and creativity are put to the test on a heart-pounding basis at every turn.
I had heard of this movie, but I’m not sure how it fell off my radar back when it came out. I was excited to dive in and see what Flannigan had cooked up for the slasher genre and what I got was good. The use or lack of use of sound elevates the film to a different place that we normally get in this genre. This brings new terror to the forefront and some interesting directions for both the killer and victim to play with.
One of the best scenes for me is the first time our killer strikes involving her friend screaming and banging on the door for help and her never able to hear her. This creates a scene of peace inside the home as she just goes about her
evening and pure chaos outside as evil comes to her doorstep with no knowledge whatsoever. The first visual of the killer is a great shot and the simplistic look is perfect to bring the fear and terror to Maddie and the audience.
This is a great addition to the genre that Flannigan was able to bring his own voice to and succeeds where most fail to find it. There are some cliché moments of the genre here of course, but it still delivers what you want while feeling fresh in its own way. I am so glad they have finally given this film a home entertainment release especially on 4K. To add to the nuance and creativity there is also a new black and white “Shush Cut” with a new audio mix that gives the film an even more fresh vision.
In addition to the film, this release offers bonus content including new audio commentaries and interviews with the filmmakers and cast, new feature-length picture-in-picture video commentary with Flanagan and the cast, and much more. The 4-disc set features striking newly rendered artwork and a reversible wrap with a black-and-white version of the new artwork, all housed in a slipcase.
Grab your copy of the Hush Collector’s Edition available now from Scream Factory.
For more information head over to www.shoutfactory.com