Director Christopher Landon has made two of my favorite guilty pleasure films - "Happy Death Day" and "Happy Death Day 2U" - although I hesitate to even call them guilty pleasures as I find them to be genuinely enjoyable and high-quality movies. His 2020 slasher-comedy 'Freaky' was a fun pandemic-era release, boosted by Kathryn Newton's screen presence and Vince Vaughn's surprisingly great comedic timing. And so, when I discovered that he was directing "Drop," I knew I immediately wanted to check it out, and I did, with my father, during an early access screening. And honestly? It was pretty good.
"Drop" is probably Landon's best directed, most stylish film yet - visually, there is a lot of creativity at play here in terms of atmospheric lighting choices, creative and intrusive editing, and an excellent use of sound (or lack thereof) that highlights tension and underscores drama. There's a real flair here with visual moments that, honestly, I haven't been as emotionally impacted by since "Drive" - one specific scene involving a kiss between two characters was a highlight, as was a conversation where the sound drops to only focus on the words being said. More confident than ever, Landon pushes himself and takes risks here, because while "Drop" is a conventional enough thriller in terms of premise, the execution in both the way the film looks and in the themes it decides to cover are genuinely daring, with the opening scene setting the stage that, huh, maybe this wasn't quite the movie I thought it was going to be.
Before the airdrop shenanigans begin, "Drop" introduces Violet - Meghann Fahy - and Henry - Brandon Sklenar - who are about to go on the most... memorable... first date of all time. Though the the date may not go as planned, the uncomfortable and awkward situation that the characters are thrown in doesn't translate to an uncomfortable or awkward viewing experience because, luckily, Meghann and Brandon have phenomenal chemistry on screen. If I didn't know any better, I'd think that they were in a relationship in real life because they are magnetic to watch, with banter that keeps things fun even as tension starts to build. And it's not just in the things they say to each other, but in the little looks, the first date jitters, the small smiles - that kind of natural chemistry is hard to fake, and it makes their connection feel all the more believable. Of course, if you've seen the trailer, you know that all good things must come to an end, and so, when "Drop" decides to become a thriller, thrill it does.
Quickly turning into a breakneck, white knuckle roller coaster ride, "Drop" is a whodunnit - or more accurately, a who is doing it - that really keeps you guessing until the end of the film. Things just keep on escalating, with situations getting more bizarre and dire; the film keeps upping the stakes, but not so much so that things ever feel too ridiculous or unbelievable. As the characters are engaged in this mystery, you'll find yourself trying to actively solve it with them - who is doing this, why are they doing this, and how in the world will our characters ever manage to answer these questions without getting hurt, or worse? It's a very fun, twisty little story that starts intense and stays that way until the credits roll.
My only real complaint about this movie is that the overall resolution was just kind of, ehh - the explanation we do get isn't bad per se, it's just missing that extra pop, that emotional payoff that could've sent things over the top. I mean, I understand that it's probably difficult to think of a satisfactory and crowd pleasing explanation - I guarantee you that the premise for this movie was thought of first, and the "why" of it all was dreamt up in the writing room - but I was hoping for something that had a bit more of that je ne sais quoi. That said, "Drop" is all about the journey, and the journey is worth taking. I had a really great time with "Drop", and I can't wait to see this again at home on 4k. I highly recommend this, and I hope it makes a killing.
