Sometimes a moviegoer just wants a good, old-fashioned thriller that doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel—and, with that in mind, the new film “Drop” delivers.
Photo Credit: Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures.
Directed by Christopher Landon (“Happy Death Day,” “Freaky”), Drop drops (pun intended) the viewer right into the action almost from the start. Meghann Fahy (“The White Lotus”) plays Violet, a widowed mom finally getting back into the dating world. Her date, Henry (Brandon Sklenar from It Ends With Us), seems perfect—until a series of creepy image drops on her phone turns the evening into a nightmare. A hooded figure threatens her family, and the only way to save them is by following some very scary instructions… including possibly killing her date.
What would a person do if they had to choose between two innocent people? That’s the impossible question Violet faces—and watching her scramble to figure it out keeps the tension sky-high.
The setting, at a high-end restaurant perched on a high floor of a city skyscraper, is clever. Everyone around the couple could be the enemy. Or not. You’ll keep second-guessing everyone right along with Violet. Plus, Jeffery Self as the annoying, over-eager waiter adds some much-needed comic relief before things get really intense.
Fahy nails it, showing us every bit of Violet’s fear, anger, and grit. She makes you root for her, even when everything feels hopeless. An added backstory of trauma contributes to the complexity of her dilemma. Has she been so tainted by abuse that her moral code is compromised?
Produced by Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes, “Drop” feels a little lighter than some of their usual horror stuff. It’s more of a fast-paced, fun thriller—something that reminds me of those easy-to-watch action movies from the ‘80s. Nothing too deep, just a solid, entertaining ride with a clever twist or two.
Honestly, it’s nice Hollywood is making more movies like “Drop” and the recent successful Netflix film “Carry On”—ones that just let you escape for a bit, grab some popcorn, and enjoy the ride.
“Drop,” directed by Christopher Landon and starring Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, Reed Diamond, Gabrielle Ryan, Jeffery Self, Ed Weeks, and Travis Nelson, releases this weekend from Blumhouse and Platinum Dunes.
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