Written by John Edward Betancourt  Violet (Meghann Fahy) in Drop, directed by Christopher Landon. (Photo Courtesy of Bernard Walsh/Universal Pictures.) Caution: This article contains spoilers for the motion picture, ‘Drop’. This article also contains discussion regarding domestic violence, which may be triggering to some individuals. It is definitely safe to say that audiences absolutely adore psychological thrillers, and it makes sense as to why. After all, they are as engaging as they come. Since they tend to offer high stakes situations that put us on the edge of our seats, and they tend to feature a grand mystery for us to solve, and that truly does immerse us into the story. Not to mention, they are intelligent as well. Because a lot of the situations the characters face in these stories, allow for us to explore the human condition and some of our flaws as a society and as a species. Which of course, is rarely resolved but it does add to the depth of these stories. However, when it comes to the commentary these stories offer, one cannot help but wonder… if these types of tales could in fact, offer more. If they could use their observations to guide an audience and potentially give them hope regarding their problems. Which is what a bevy of stories are working to do now with their observations on modern society and believe it or not… thrillers most certainly can, and for proof… then look no further than the latest offering from Blumhouse Pictures and Universal. For Drop is not only a powerhouse thriller, but it does have some incredible depth, and commentary, and it does speak to how our lives can improve when we have faced some real darkness, and it accomplishes that through quite the unique plot. For this particular tale introduces us to Violet, a woman that is working to start over in life. For she is a widow, and a single mother, and after a few years of focusing on healing from the passing of her husband, amongst other dark aspects of their relationship, she has decided the time has come to start dating again. And when we catch up with her, here, she’s on her way to a fancy restaurant and ready to settle in and see what Henry, a man that has caught her eye… is all about. But some strange airdrops from an unknown party, the kind that get more sinister by the minute, put a damper on what appears to be a dream first date. Which of course, Violet works to ignore, but soon… she comes to realize she is immersed in something sinister and whomever is sending her these hideous messages will stop at nothing to get her to pay attention to them and do their bidding. A reality that will force Violet to face old demons and think fast to save her family and avoid the dark asks of this stranger.  At first glance, that’s a plot that seems to resemble an everyday thriller. One that perhaps speaks globally to the horrors of technology. Since that plays a big part of this story and obviously, creates problems for Violet in this tale. But it is her past, and the struggles she’s faced in getting to this moment that truly add newfound depth and inspiration to this story. Because she is at her core, a survivor of domestic violence. Of which the aftereffects are displayed here in a powerful manner. To help us understand its impact, and to showcase how one can move beyond the lasting impact of such a heinous act. Which Violet’s journey in this story does provide us with. All by making it clear that our traumas do not define us. That we can rise above them and reclaim our agency and our lives, provided of course… we do the work to heal, and we take the time to realize that we can move beyond such matters.
Which adds incredible depth to this story and champions a message that truly we need to hear more in popular media, and it does so in a manner that is realistic for the audience, and it helps us to root for Violet, since her journey makes it clear she’s a great person that happened to fall into something hideous, and that she deserves better. But make no mistake about it, while this is a thriller that tackles new topics and new territory in a dynamic manner, it is still a thriller through and through… and that too makes for a compelling motion picture. Because the mystery of who is behind this all, is simply top notch and unravels in a manner that is exciting and fun. For we simply don’t know who the heavy is, and there’s wondrous misdirection present here that keeps us guessing, and that also brings forth… some incredible tension and some unsettling moments and that just adds to the sheer brilliance of this magnificent thriller. One that still has more to offer us. Because it also harbors a bit of humor, and that allows for the story to never become overwhelming, and director Christopher Landon made sure to pepper in, some beautiful camerawork that offers powerful homages to the work of Alfred Hitchcock, and it also adds a genuine sense of claustrophobia to the feature, to truly immerse us in the tension. Not to mention, the performances here are out of this world, with Meghann Fahy stealing the show as Violet. Since she sells the fear and the strength of a person that has been through hell and back, and all of these elements bring about an absolute must-see thriller. Because this one really does take the genre to a whole new level, thanks to Jillian Jacobs and Chris Roach’s masterful and complex script. One that truly adds new depth to an already brilliant genre.
0 Comments
|
Archives
April 2025
|
RSS Feed