Review: Netflix’s Predictable And Messy Thriller ‘Don’t Move’ Still Frays The Nerves

There’s a running joke in Hollywood: Try to sell a movie to a studio and if nobody bites, take it to Netflix because the streaming service never says no to anything. It’s tough to argue this point, really, especially when Atlas and He’s All That exist. The fear for the Sam Raimi-produced thriller Don’t Move was that it was another stinker set to be flushed into everyone’s eyes and have us all questioning why we bother to pay Netflix money every month. While the Adam Schindler and Brian Netto-directed feature isn’t the second coming of a David Fincher masterclass, it’s far from the worst effort on Netflix in 2024 – that’s for sure. Mild spoilers for Don’t Move follow.

What is Don’t Move about?

Don’t Move opens with Kelsey Asbille’s Iris pining over the accidental death of her young son, Mateo. She can’t go on any longer and plans to leap off the top of a cliff. There, she meets a handsome stranger Richard (Finn Wittrock), who tells her about his weakest moments in life and convinces her that “broken doesn’t mean hopeless.” Iris steps back from the ledge and follows Richard down the mountain back to their respective cars. However, when she tries to get into her vehicle, Richard tasers her.

In the car ride back, Richard reveals to the tied-up Iris that she is going to spend the weekend with him, then it will be the end. It isn’t his first time doing this either, as he discloses in the mandatory “let me expose all my secrets that will convict me” exposition scene for bad guys. Iris manages to free herself and gets into a scuffle with Richard, which culminates in a car crash. She flees, but not before he explains to her that he injected her with a paralytic substance that will make her entire body shut down. So, the action kicks off as the frightened Iris tries to run but her body starts to fail her and Richard remains hot on her tail.

Don’t be fooled by the trailer

Despite the trailer suggesting that the movie is mostly Richard chasing Iris through the forest, that isn’t the case in Don’t Move. Several parties play a role in the plot and it isn’t only a 90-minute game of hide-and-seek. Instead, Richard catches up to Iris fairly quickly, then it becomes a case of how she can escape him when she can’t move or call for help.

The creation of tension falls on Kelsey Asbille’s acting ability. While there are logical loopholes in how this paralytic agent works, Asbille convinces as the stricken Iris. The actor relies on her eyes, moans, and slightest gestures to convey the combination of frustration and fear her helpless character feels. There’s a scene in which Iris attempts to release her seatbelt, but she struggles to find the energy and coordination to press the button. It’s nerve-wracking to watch and the filmmakers capture the anxiety by focusing on it long enough to give the illusion that she might free herself. Eventually, she does, but it’s too late at this point.

Richard might be the dumbest bad guy of all time

Finn Wittrock’s Richard – or whatever his real name is – proves to be a conundrum here. On the one hand, he demonstrates astute ways to lie and convince others by sprinkling a little bit of truth into his deception. This man knows how to get what he wants, noticing the minor details and using this information to his advantage. There’s an element of Ted Bundy to his character, as he uses his looks and affable nature to disarm his victims and give them a false sense of trust.

At the same time, he commits rookie errors at every turn. For someone who looks to cover all the angles and claims to have killed women before, he stumbles along and leaves a trail of piling evidence that even the notoriously hopeless Gotham City Police Department could find. While the film showcases he’s a man living two separate lives – and not a full-time killer in this economy – his actions are nothing short of clumsy. From revealing details about his family to leaving convenient items lying around and falling for the oldest trick in the book, Richard might be the Sharknado of serial killers.

Is Don’t Move worth adding to Netflix’s watchlist?

Despite the throat-choking tension, Don’t Move plays out exactly how a viewer expects. That doesn’t mean it’s terrible, though. The thriller sticks to its strengths and the conventions of the genre to captivate the audience. Could it have had a smarter villain? Sure. Could it have included more unexpected twists? Uh-huh. But does it entertain for an hour and a half? Absolutely.