Drop is a new film from Christopher Landon due to release in theaters this upcoming weekend. The film stars Meghann Fahy, Brandon Sklenar, Violett Beane, Jacob Robinson, and Reed Diamond. Fahy plays Violet, a widowed mother on her first date in years, who arrives at an upscale restaurant where she is relieved that her date, Henry (Sklenar) is more charming and handsome than she expected. But their chemistry begins to curdle as Violet begins being irritated and then terrorized by a series of anonymous drops to her phone.

I’ve admired director Christopher Landon’s work for quite some time now. The guy not only knows how to blend horror with comedy, but also knows how to direct a leading woman in the story. Landon wrote the recent film, Heart Eyes, a film I thoroughly enjoyed more than probably most. The guy knows what he’s doing. While this isn’t a story that he wrote, he has a signature style that will satisfy moviegoers that make them feel like they spent their money right.

The film has a remarkable opening credits sequence that nails the type of Hitchcock tone Landon is going for. From there, we are immediately thrown into a pivotal moment in Violet’s life where she is bloodied and bruised by the hands of her then husband. Just as he hands her the gun he has been threatening her with, she nearly pulls the trigger before we are cut to the modern day where Violet is now helping others who have gone through abuse. It’s quite the way to start the film. We know the film will eventually become intense, but to open the film on a dark scene really changes the way we will go on to view this main character.

A lot of time has passed since the moment with her ex-husband. She’s finally ready to have a nice time with this online fling she’s been talking to. Christopher Landon perfected getting the right cast here. Fahy already commands the screen, but to have Sklenar opposite of her creates chemistry filled with so much friction that it ignites sparks before the inciting incident occurs.

When a film tries to capitalize on who’s really doing it, Landon somehow still surprised me. I go into a film like this with the mindset of “it could be anyone.” I don’t know how, but when the reveal of who’s doing this occurs, I was flabbergasted. Actually, I probably do know how. Landon fills the screen with so many unique and rich characters that consistently grab your attention. Whenever things are intense, Landon is able to bring the right character on screen that will make you laugh when you probably shouldn’t be.

One aspect that stood out to me was the way the film looks and sounds. There are moments where the camera scans an entire location or looks below from an overhead shot, offering many different ways for us to look at the situation in a rather small location. It may not be for everyone, but I loved the moments where the screen fades everything else to black and focuses in just on a character or two creating something intimate. The same goes for its sound design where you just heard characters talk. No background noise. No music. Nothing. It’s something that shouldn’t work for a thriller, but somehow does. The editing also allows you to see the location as text appears on screen, allowing you to not have to continuously read something small on a phone.

It’s easy to see where Landon was directly influenced by the greats like Hitchcock and Craven based on the singular location, dialogue, and the intensity. That’s not to say that Landon is next in line to be one of the greats. Don’t be surprised when his next film is nothing like this one. He manages to make something new each time. I do believe this would be a great segue for anyone new to the genre though that would make them visit those greats. As I left the theater with my friend, we noted how much we enjoyed it, but also recognized its flaws.

This is in no way a flawless film. It was a flawless film, the pacing could have been tighter in the middle. The film has plenty of Hollywood tropes that are done to help advance the story. I can be a bit forgiving of it as it allowed viewers in my theater to cheer and clap, which made for a better theater experience where it was earned over something like A Minecraft Movie. Lastly, it’s a small issue involving the pop music at the end. I am not too sure why movies still need to end on a pop song like that’s the best part of the movie. It’s a super small complaint, but I do wish the film leaned more into its magnificent score.

Overall, Drop is a great time at the movies that makes everything feel earned. I have a good feeling viewers will also feel like their money was well spent. Meghann Fahy commands the screen while Brandon Sklenar has amazing chemistry with her. Christopher Landon once again creates something thriller and exciting that’s worth your time.

VERDICT: 4/5 (Great)