Brynn (Kaitlyn Dever) lives in a big house just outside their small village. All alone, with nothing really to do besides sew and build a miniature model of their town, she spends her time at the grave of her mother. She tries to drive around town and greet the townsfolk with a smile and a wave, but for some reason they avoid making any interactions with her.
One night, she wakes up to the sound of something breaking into her home. Curious about the clattering and the chirping, Brynn tries to take a good look at her intruder. She then discovered something shocking: her housebreaker isn’t human at all. It’s an alien.
Of all the films that were released these past few months, No One Will Save You flew under the radar. It got little to no marketing because of the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, so it quietly landed on Disney+ last weekend. But surprisingly, the reviews were immediately positive. It got a lot of attention from directors, critics, and fans, quickly becoming a streaming darling in the past few days. Disney really repeated their mistake with 2022’s Prey and missed their opportunity to release a sure-hit film in theaters again.
No One Will Save You is exciting because it’s different. It elevates home invasion horror to a new height, literally. Not only does it bend the basic principle of the subgenre, it sets the scene for a unique battle of survival between a quiet heroine and a horde of alien species. On paper, it is kind of a no-brainer concept created to beam money into production studios' pockets using the power of intrigue. But Brian Duffield’s tightly constructed story was able to pivot an all-familiar thriller into a character study and a lesson on self-forgiveness.
Kudos to Kaitlyn Dever for carrying this film all on her own. She showcased her acting chops as she went through all the human emotions known to mankind without ever saying more than 10 words. Yes, the film only has one line of actual dialogue. The lack of it is actually pretty brilliant, as it heightens the feeling of guilt and alienation that Brynn is experiencing. The only time we hear her speak is towards the end, and the words she utters say a lot about her finding the strength to finally forgive herself. That moment finally drives home the point that no one will save us from the pain, the grief, and the isolation but ourselves.
Furthermore, No One Will Save You has admirable confidence in the direction. It’s not a scary film, and the CGI aliens are terrible, but the sound design is immersive, and there are intense cat-and-mouse sequences and surprises that keep it engaging until the very last minute. The ending is a bit woozy, but if you’re willing to just go with it and enjoy the ride, you’ll probably love this highly interesting film.
4/5
