Today’s quick review: Hush. Maddie Young (Kate Siegel), a deaf writer living on her own in the woods, gets caught in a fight for her life when a masked killer (John Gallagher Jr.) traps her inside her house. With every escape route cut off, Maddie must find a way to defend herself before the killer can break in and finish her off.
Hush is a survival thriller about a woman trying to defend herself against a masked attacker. As the killer patrols the outside of her cabin, taunting her, Maddie looks for a distraction that will give her the upper hand. Hush has a minimalistic premise that it puts to excellent effect. The immediacy of the threat, the resourcefulness Maddie shows, and a nicely despicable villain make it a worthwhile pick.
Hush does a good job of handling its conflict. The killer is stronger, better armed, and can hear, but Maddy has the quick thinking and nerves to keep herself alive. Seeing them test each other through locked doors, closed windows, roofs, and crawlspaces gives the movie some clear appeal for anyone who likes dark cat-and-mouse games. The battle also has a nice give-and-take, with neither side getting off too easy.
Hush is a movie that has a straightforward premise and executes its well. Hush will not have much to offer anyone looking for deep plots, or even out-and-out horror. But for effective tension and a well-scoped story, it has exactly what it needs. For another deadly hunt in the woods, try Killing Season. For a psychological thriller about a writer in the woods, try Secret Window.
[6.6 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5022702/). I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for tidy thrills.