Rent Breaking In (2018)

Breaking In review by Mark McPherson - Cinema Paradiso

Breaking In is a surprisingly dull film for how chaotic and suspenseful it truly could’ve been. It neglects to put that extra touch of absurdity or grit on a very familiar formula of a one-man-army, or in this case a one-woman-army. It proceeds with a slow and brooding nature that seems to place too much dignity and meandering in its hostage story. Gabrielle Union plays the woman trying to save her kids from some bad guys that have broken into her house and remarks that she’s not a remarkable woman but “just a mom.” The same goes for Breaking In; it’s not an exciting and blood-pumping thriller with quality kills and great action. It’s just a thriller.

Gabrielle plays Shaun Russell, a mother of two on her way to her murdered father’s estate to see about selling the place. The place has an awful lot of security, including cameras and security doors, but such a lavish estate seems like this level of security would be warranted. And it certainly comes in handy when four gun-toting goons venture to the house and take the two kids hostage. The bad men armed with guns and plenty of bland dialogue about what they want make clear they’re after $4 million that is concealed within the household.

And so the hostage situation unfolds with Shaun trying to find a wave to break inside the house, save her kids and stop the bad guys. Some people show up to the house but they are either killed or become new hostages. Shaun soon takes charge on the four bad guys and becomes an action hero of vengeance the way she can frighten her attackers with fireworks and launch them off the roof. It’s all built to be a relatively routine crowd-pleaser, where I can hear in my head the audience going “oooo, yes!” as Shaun stabs one of her attackers in the chest with some glass.

But there’s never a moment within Breaking In where it ever felt surprising or suspenseful as everything goes almost exactly according to plan with few twists. It’s the kind of film where will-they-won’t-they dynamic of thriller moments by design all lead to they will. For example, one of Shaun’s kids has the main villain at gunpoint. The villain says he’s not going to hurt the kid so long as he gives him the gun. You can practically see the kid looking towards the energetic movie audience shouting “shoot him” and heeding their advice. It’s somewhat telling that Shaun’s catchphrase throughout the picture “you don’t really know me.” Except we kinda do when we’re expecting Shaun to do things a normal mother would not do.

Breaking In apparently didn’t get the memo that these types of films are far too common and usually don’t do as well with the slow and drawn out pacing, making this 90-minute thriller far too tiresome in its agonizing pacing. There’s just not enough present that the pointless padding out of scenes feels so dreary to slog through. I couldn’t wait to break out from Breaking In.