Creating a unique horror villain is challenging. We have seen movies with killer clowns, dangerous winds, and drug-addicted bears. However, in Hold Your Breath, Sarah Paulson faces two new threats: dust and insomnia. While trauma and natural disasters can be effective in horror, this film doesn’t use them well.
Paulson gives a strong performance, but the movie’s impact is limited. Although there are a few good scares and strong acting, Karrie Crouse and Will Joines’ film fails to fully utilize its talented cast, making it a dull experience that might leave viewers bored and wanting a shower.
What Is Hold Your Breath About?
Hold Your Breath is set during the Dust Bowl disaster in 1930s Oklahoma. It follows the Bellum family: Margaret (Sarah Paulson) and her two daughters, Rose (Amiah Miller) and Ollie (Alona Robbins).
Margaret worries constantly about her surviving children after losing her third daughter years earlier. She spends her time sealing wall cracks and cleaning sandy surfaces.
One night, Rose reads Ollie a book about The Grey Man, a sinister figure that causes anyone who breathes him in to commit violent acts. Margaret, already stressed and dealing with dangerous sleepwalking, starts to fear The Grey Man will come after her and her daughters. She becomes obsessed with keeping her family safe, no matter the cost.
Hold Your Breath Offers Some Good Scares But Relies on Repetitive Jump Scares
The film starts with a decent jump scare but quickly becomes repetitive, using the same scare multiple times. Instead of creating varied and atmospheric tension, the film often uses loud noises and sudden cuts to startle viewers. After seeing Paulson wake up from the same nightmare repeatedly, it becomes predictable.
On the plus side, there are a few effective shocks and some strong body horror, including a disturbing scene involving cross-stitching.
The thriller aspects of the film could have been better if the third act had more time to build tension with its cat-and-mouse chase. Instead, the movie spends too much time showing Margaret working on the same sewing project, pointing to issues with pacing.
It’s also unclear whether the supernatural elements are real, and by the end, it’s hard to care. The film includes some random horror clichés, such as a creepy baby doll, dramatic zoom-ins on scary book words, and a mask that doesn’t protect from dust but looks eerie.
Sarah Paulson Does Her Best With a Slow, Uneven Script
Sarah Paulson’s performance is the film’s strength. She brings depth to Margaret’s character, showing her descent into madness as she tries to keep her family together. Paulson’s expressive eyes and frantic dialogue effectively convey Margaret’s distress.
Amiah Miller and Alona Robbins also deliver strong performances as Margaret’s daughters, balancing their fear and loyalty to their mother. Miller’s portrayal of Rose stands out, adding emotional depth to the film.
The supporting cast includes Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Annaleigh Ashford, who add depth to their roles. Moss-Bachrach plays a mysterious preacher with subtlety, while Ashford portrays Margaret’s sister, Esther, with a mix of affection, sadness, and fear.
In the end, Hold Your Breath is a slow and sometimes confusing film about a mother’s grief, the power of nature, and a possible dust demon. Although Sarah Paulson shines in the movie, it is predictable and puzzling.
The varied performances and a few unsettling moments offer some relief, but if you’re seeking a thrilling supernatural experience, you might want to look elsewhere. Hold Your Breath features Sarah Paulson in a psychological horror set during the Dust Bowl.
Despite her strong performance, the film relies on repetitive jump scares and clichés, making it predictable. The story’s potential is wasted with pacing issues and unclear supernatural elements, resulting in a mostly unremarkable thriller.
