"Hush" Puts a Clever Spin on an Old Trope

Hush (2016)

The slasher subgenre of horror has been around for ages, popularized by the release of revolutionary films such as Halloween, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Friday the 13th. Since the popularization of the slasher subgenre one can sometimes feel as though the same tropes have been repeated time and time again, in which the characters who engage in acts stereotyped as "bad" (smoking, drinking, foul language, sexual promiscuity) are killed off one by one while a female survivor who is depicted as morally wholesome (at least, in comparison to her friends) lives to fulfill her destiny as "the final girl." Despite the seemingly never-ending loop of this old trope it seems as though the majority of slasher films have found a way to at least make themselves moderately interesting, by carrying the same formula with new and innovative ideas. Hush is, however, the most groundbreaking and unique slasher film to come out in a very long time.

Centering around a deaf and mute writer, Hush cautiously takes her disability into account and uses it to both the film and the character's advantage (and at times, disadvantage) as she navigates her isolated cabin in the woods trying to escape a deranged killer who longs to take her life for no reason in particular. Our protagonist is strong, arguably a bit too much like an action hero at times (particularly for someone who spends her time writing and leading what one can assume is a relatively sedentary lifestyle for the most part), but she's admirable and the film takes its time building her up as a relatable and likable character while also giving the audience time to adjust to relating to a disabled protagonist and fully understanding the limitations caused by being unable to hear or speak.

The protagonist is not the only character who is well-rounded, in fact. Hush breaks the typical mold of depicting the protagonist's friends of unlikable party animals through showing a group of well-developed and friendly people who you desperately hope survive until the end of the film, as the mysterious killer attempts to hunt them all down one by one.

Hush is wonderful film and a fantastic example of a good slasher movie, which in itself is a rarity given the typical downfalls and mediocrity of so many other slashers. It proves that oftentimes simplicity is the best way to make a film wonderful. There is no motivation or background story provided for the mysterious killer, and perhaps this is what's best. After all, isn't the unknown what scares the majority of people? Isn't it the mystery of a strange man approaching a home and deciding to kill everyone within it, one by one, the truly terrifying concept, because then viewers are left with the dawning realization that this could be their fate? When convoluted exposition and length reasoning is provided in an effort to explain why the villain chose his victims it creates distance between the audience and the protagonist, but with films such as Hush viewers are left terrified and wondering if they might find themselves in the same situation.

Admittedly, this is a difficult film to describe without giving away details regarding its plot, but I will say that the way that the film uses its protagonist's lack of hearing to both the advantage of the character and the advantage of the plot is phenomenal and shows creativity which has been lacking from the slasher sub-genre. You can currently view Hush on Netflix, and I highly recommend you check it out!