A first date can be one of the scariest things ever, especially when it’s also the potential couples’ first meeting. That’s the premise in Christopher Landon’s newest horror film, Drop. Confined to (mostly) one location, Landon uses an expansive restaurant to weave a tale of revenge and extortion into the already tense moments of a first date.
Let’s take a look at the film and see if audiences should drop into theaters to see it.
Landon normally puts more dashes of comedy into his horror, but this time he chose to take a more tense route. As Violet (Fahy) and Henry (Sklenar) meet for their first date, it’s apparent that somebody in the restaurant is sending Violet drop messages, saying that if she doesn’t do the invasive and dangerous things that the sender asks, then her sister and daughter will die.
Drop showcases realistic, flowing dialogue to keep the date moving along. A film based around two characters will thrive or falter based on the pacing and chemistry of those characters, and Fahy and Sklenar have it in spades. The characters that pop in and out also get their moments to shine. The theatrical waiter provides larger than life comedic relief, the bartender is a believable and likeable ally, and everyone else serve as mysterious suspects to ratchet up the whodunit aspect of the story.
Drop also uses wonderful cinematography to highlight its location. The camera follows our protagonist from area to area with long tracking shots, placing the audience on the date with them. They also use unique spotlight shots to point out some of the potential assailants, giving the film its own style.
The plausibility of some of the timing and actions of the events is certainly questionable. But the ride in Drop is well worth the speed bumps. The twist is satisfying, the action is fun, and it makes a very easy date night watch.
Drop is currently still in theaters as of this writing.
