HUSH Is Still One of the Best Invasion Horrors

While we’re all still riding high off Mike Flanagan’s most recent success, there’s one film of his that’s still top of my list all these years later. Hush was easy to scroll past when it popped up in my horror recommendations on Netflix back in 2016. It had been three years since his film Oculus, which I loved, but this one flew a bit under the radar back then. Luckily the algorithm did its job and led me to one of my favorites.

Maddie (Kate Siegel) is a deaf author living in a secluded area, hoping to gain some writing inspiration for her next book. She video chats with her sister Max, who expresses concern about her being so closed off. With only a married couple living somewhat nearby, she is virtually alone.

When a masked man (John Gallagher Jr.) begins stalking the area, he sees Maddie as his next victim. He quickly notices that she can’t hear him and decides to play cruel tricks on her. While he expects her deafness to be a weakness, it seems he may have underestimated just how tough she is.

Hush places you into a horror film unlike any other. On paper, it’s a slightly typical “stalker outside the house” flick, but it combines an invasion-thriller with a slasher edge so frightening well. The biggest difference though is our protagonist.

The most terrifying aspect of this film is not only that she can’t hear him, but she can’t hear herself and how loud she is while trying to stay alive. She must use caution and any tools she can find in order to help her escape. You’ll find yourself covering your mouth and holding your breath in an attempt to be as quiet as possible, as Maddie does her best to do the same.

When a film does such a great job of placing the viewer in that same fight or flight mode as the character, then you know it’s something special. It’s not often you find a truly unique story with such a unique character and one that represents the Deaf community. It provides you with so much suspense, scares, and terrifying turns, you will undoubtedly have a great time with it.

Hush is available on Netflix