''Don't Move'' is a 2024 American

thriller film Thriller film, also known as suspense film or suspense thriller, is a broad film genre that evokes excitement and suspense in the audience. The suspense element found in most films' plots is particularly exploited by the filmmaker in this genre. ...

starring

Kelsey Asbille Kelsey Asbille Chow is an American actress. In 2024, Asbille played the lead role of Iris in the Netflix movie '' Don't Move''. She has played Mikayla in the Disney XD sitcom ''Pair of Kings''. From 2005 to 2009, she had a recurring role as G ...

Finn Wittrock Peter L. Wittrock Jr. (born October 28, 1984), known professionally as Finn Wittrock, is an American actor who began his career in guest roles on several television shows. He made his film debut in 2004, in '' Halloweentown High'' before returning ...

, Moray Treadwell, and Daniel Francis. It was directed by Adam Schindler and Brian Netto, and written by TJ Cimfel and David White. Grieving mother Iris inadvertently comes across a serial killer, who injects her with a paralytic agent. She must escape by running, fighting and hiding before it takes full effect and her body shuts down.

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

released the film on October 25, 2024.

Plot

Iris wakes up one morning and drives to a California state park unnoticed by her sleeping husband. She grieves for her young son Mateo, who died during a family hiking trip, and has taken Mateo's toy boat to a memorial she has built at the base of a tree. While contemplating suicide at a cliff's edge, Iris is interrupted by a man called Richard. Richard encourages her not to jump and relays his own tragic past. Iris changes her mind and follows Richard back to their parked cars. There, he attacks her with a stun device, ties her wrists and ankles with zip ties, and places her in the back of his car. After regaining consciousness, Iris frees her hands and causes Richard to crash the car. Iris manages to escape, only to discover that Richard injected her with a paralyzing agent when she was out. She escapes into the thick forest, but the effects of the drug gradually incapacitate her. Iris is discovered by local farmer Bill, who takes her to his cabin to render aid. Richard appears at the cabin, but a suspicious Bill refuses to reveal Iris' presence and calls 911. A fight ensues between Richard and Bill. Bill is killed and Iris reveals herself when Richard sets the cabin on fire. Richard steals Bill's truck and returns to his car. A highway patrol officer stops to investigate, but Richard kills him when he becomes suspicious. Richard takes Iris to a lake intending to drown her with weights off the side of a rowboat. Iris, having partially regained her motor skills, stabs Richard in the neck and shoots him with the gun Richard took from the dead highway patrolman. In the melee, some of the bullets pierce the hull and sink the boat with the immobilized Iris. Iris emerges from the water and manages to swim to the dock where they embarked. Richard, mortally wounded, floats ashore several yards away. Iris makes her way to him, thanks him for renewing her will to live, and walks away.

Cast

as Iris *

as Richard * Moray Treadwell as Bill * Daniel Francis as Dontrell, a police officer

Production

In December 2022, it was reported that Adam Schindler and Brian Netto would direct the thriller ''Don't Move'', written by TJ Cimfel and David White. It was produced by

Sam Raimi Samuel M. Raimi ( ; born October 23, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the first three films in the ''Evil Dead'' franchise (1981–present) and the ''Spider-Man'' trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed the super ...

and Zainab Azizi of Raimi Productions, Christian Mercuri's Capstone Studios, Alex Lebovici of Hammerstone Studios, and Sarah Sarandos. In May 2023,

and

were cast in lead roles.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

took place in

Bulgaria Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...

from June to late July 2023. Two days before completion, production was granted an interim agreement to continue filming during the

2023 SAG-AFTRA strike From July 14 to November 9, 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) went on strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Pro ...

Mark Korven Mark Korven is a Canadian musician and composer for film and television. Life and career During his early career in Winnipeg, Korven performed in a variety of rock and jazz music ensembles, mostly playing the guitar and singing in local bars. I ...

and Michelle Osis scored the film.

Release

In November 2023,

Signature Entertainment Signature Entertainment is a British film distribution and film production company founded in 2011 in the UK. Overview Signature Entertainment was founded in 2011 by Marc Goldberg. The company released over 1,000 films since its inception and ...

acquired the distribution rights for the United Kingdom and Ireland. In April 2024,

bought worldwide rights. The film was released on Netflix on October 25, 2024.

Reception

Ben Travis of ''Empire'' gave the film 3/5 stars, writing, "The results are consistently engaging and well-calibrated for Friday-night Netflix viewing – a bright calling card for its filmmakers, even if it isn't destined to live long in the memory." ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in Manchester in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'' and changed its name in 1959, followed by a move to London. Along with its sister paper, ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardi ...

'' Benjamin Lee also gave it 3/5 stars, writing, "''Don't Move'' doesn't quite stick the landing as smoothly as one might hope with a few too many incredulous moments... and some biffed one-liners, but there are enough heart-in-throat moments on the way there to separate this from most of the genre guff on Netflix."

Accolades

References

External links

* * {{Sam Raimi 2024 thriller films 2020s American films 2020s English-language films 2020s serial killer films American serial killer films American thriller films Films produced by Sam Raimi Films scored by Mark Korven Films shot in Bulgaria Netflix original films