The horror genre is constantly evolving and redefining itself. In the ’90s, it was all about slasher villains. The 2000s brought a wave of paranormal and found-footage films. More recently, there has been a shift toward exploring new and inventive ways to tap into people’s deepest fears.
Blumhouse’s latest horror film, Drop, embraces this trend, delivering one of the most original and cleverly shot additions to the genre in recent memory.
Meghann Fahy (The White Lotus, Your Monster) plays Violet. Violet is a widowed Mother who is entering back into the dating life. Her worst fears are realized when she goes on a date from hell.
Violet meets Henry (Brandon Sklenar) at a fine dining downtown restaurant, but the evening takes a disturbing turn when she receives an alarming message on her phone. As more cryptic messages continue to “drop” through a mobile app, they escalate from playful to increasingly sinister and threatening.
Unfortunately for Violet, she is in the wrong place with the wrong person at the worst possible time.
What unfolds is a tense hostage thriller set in an unexpectedly unique and unsettling location, the middle of a bustling restaurant. Fahy made quite the impression during her time on season two of The White Lotus and she is fantastic here. She masterfully conveys the fragility of a widow caught in a terrifying situation, grappling with fear and desperation as the lives of her loved ones hang in the balance.
Her performance makes this film work alongside the creative vision of director Christopher Landon. Landon came to prominence in 2017 when he directed Happy Death Day, a fun and inventive horror film that fully capitalized on its unique premise. Drop follows suit, delivering another high-concept thriller executed to its fullest potential.
The pacing is tight, and the unfolding events are consistently engaging. Landon maximizes every cinematic tool at his disposal, creatively integrating text messages, security camera footage, and the bustling restaurant setting to heighten both visual intrigue and suspense. The result is a film that is as visually captivating as it is anxiety-inducing.
At just 100 minutes, Drop maintains its energy and tension from start to finish. The payoff is action-packed and thrilling.
One of the biggest surprises at South by Southwest, Drop has all the makings of a franchise. Like Happy Death Day, it sets up a world with plenty of room for expansion, and I, for one, would love to see another installment.
