Breaking In

Name: Breaking In
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime
Released: May 11, 2018
Duration: 88 min
Rating: 42
Cast: Ajiona Alexus, Billy Burke, Christa Miller, Damien Leake, Gabrielle Union

2018

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 24 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 34 Ratings

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3.9

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3.9	Your Score
3.9	User Score Generally unfavorable reviews based on 34 Ratings

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Breaking In: Shaun Uses Her Captive To Make A Deal For Her Children

Now Playing: Breaking In: Shaun Uses Her Captive To Make A Deal For Her Children

Movie Details & Credits

Universal Pictures | Release Date: May 11, 2018 | PG-13

Starring: Ajiona Alexus, Billy Burke, Christa Miller, Damien Leake, Gabrielle Union, Jason Winston George, Levi Meaden, Mark Furze, Richard Cabral, Seth Carr

Summary: Shaun Russell (Gabrielle Union) will stop at nothing to rescue her two children being held hostage in a house designed with impenetrable security. No trap, no trick and especially no man inside can match a mother with a mission when she is determined.

Director: James McTeigue

Genre(s): Action, Drama, Thriller, Crime

Rating: PG-13

Runtime: 88 min

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Critic Reviews

William Bibbiani

May 10, 2018

Breaking In is a clever twist not the home invasion genre, with a dynamic lead performance by Gabrielle Union as a mother protecting her family. It’s a crowd-pleasing thriller, good but never quite great, because the story collapses under scrutiny. The film is trying to be clever and yet it relies on big, and obvious gaps in logic, but those flaws probably won't ruin the experience. Read full review

Ken Jaworowski

May 10, 2018

With an overbearing score, Breaking In telegraphs almost everything that happens yet still provides several jolts amid its occasionally questionable twists. While the filmmakers aren’t exerting themselves to deliver anything other than a popcorn-seller, Ms. Union is working hard to keep you watching. Read full review

Katie Walsh

May 10, 2018

The disappointment of Breaking In is the wasted potential — there are a few plot setups that could have been further fleshed out or brought back around (why was her father being investigated by the DA?) and Union isn’t given enough opportunity to truly display her charms. This thriller could have really used some room to breathe. Read full review

Steve Davis

May 16, 2018

With more than a passing nod to the far classier "Panic Room," this derivative seat-squirmer has a few good moments in spite of Johnny Klimick’s annoying score, its energy powered by the raw determination of its Mother Courage. Read full review

Empire Helen O'Hara

May 14, 2018

Union is committed and convincing, but the script apparently never met a cliche it didn't want to adopt wholesale. This offers some thrills and considerable pace, but never enough narrative force. Read full review

Sarah-Tai Black

May 10, 2018

There is a familiarity to its characters and story, which doesn’t do much at all in terms of reinventing the genre, but very much meets its own expectations. Read full review

Movie Nation Roger Moore

May 9, 2018

If there’s one thing that Hollywood thrillers and the legions of actors who march through them teach us, it’s that faking shock and breath-gulping panic isn’t easy. And hiding boredom, for some actors, is damned near impossible. Read full review

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User Reviews

Davrosdaleks1

May 11, 2018

This film is about a mother trying to protect her children from a group of thieves who are after her father's hidden fortune. Yeah, it's a familiar concept. If you've seen Panic Room or similar home invasion or robbery thrillers you'll probably predict most of the film. The characters areThis film is about a mother trying to protect her children from a group of thieves who are after her father's hidden fortune. Yeah, it's a familiar concept. If you've seen Panic Room or similar home invasion or robbery thrillers you'll probably predict most of the film. The characters are all tropes as well. However, this is a very competently made film and I was entertained nonetheless.

Interestingly, the quality increases as the film goes on. The beginning is the most the formulaic and least interesting. (There is one bit of over-the-phone exposition that is so forced, it's painful.) While the film is the most interesting and unpredictable at the very end.

The movie makes the wise choice of keeping things interesting by individualizing the crooks and having them have differing,and at times conflicting ways of handling things, rather than having them being an indiscernible group of generally evil people. The highlight of the film hands down is Billy Burke as the cunning, understated leader of the gang.

Though far from an original film, Breaking In is by no mean a waste of one's time.… Expand

2 of 3 users found this helpful21

Acacia

Jun 1, 2018

I thought this was a very good and well made film. Gabrielle Union is good as a Mom trying to protect her children from some psychos who are after millions of dollars in a safe in her father’s home. Ner father has been killed and now she has gone to his weekend home/mansion to meet aI thought this was a very good and well made film. Gabrielle Union is good as a Mom trying to protect her children from some psychos who are after millions of dollars in a safe in her father’s home. Ner father has been killed and now she has gone to his weekend home/mansion to meet a realtor and out it on the market. She and Dad never got along. Some elements are kind of contrived, for sure. But, there is certainly enough suspense and tension to keep an audience entertained. Billy Burke is effective as the head honcho of thieves and Richard Cabral is very creepy as a psycho partner in crime. And, yes, it’s not anything new and the story is similar to others, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the ride. We sure did.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

ozzsoffy

Mar 21, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very nice movie. Good rhythm, I love the main character, the us Good! This is a king of a movie that the good guy wins against the bad guys. And I like it.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

benskylerhill

May 11, 2018

Breaking In is not a terrible movie, just a completely unnecessary one. It brings absolutely nothing new to the cinematic table and is a complete rehash of bits and pieces from older, better movies like Panic Room. If you can name a home-invasion thriller cliché, it's definitely present inBreaking In is not a terrible movie, just a completely unnecessary one. It brings absolutely nothing new to the cinematic table and is a complete rehash of bits and pieces from older, better movies like Panic Room. If you can name a home-invasion thriller cliché, it's definitely present in this film in some form or another, and in abundance.

I'll start with the positives here. For the most part, it's a well-directed movie. Much of the cinematography is nice to look at, providing a visual atmosphere that effectively sets a tension-filled tone. But that's about all the good I can say about it. Where the direction fails in its purpose entirely is in the action sequences. Every fight in Breaking In is ridiculous to watch. It doesn't look real, it's dragged out to unnecessarily long lengths, and the only reason the action carries on is because the characters make stupid decisions that, if avoided, could have ended the story in minutes. In addition to that, there are some parts that are shot in slow-motion for no reason whatsoever and I found myself laughing hysterically at the absurdity of it all. These flaws completely deflate any tension that was built up over the course of the story.

The acting is far from awful, but certainly does not contain any stand-out performances. That's mostly due to the fact that the writing is often lazy, forced, and cheesy, and the characters are built in such a way that they just add to the list of clichés. You've got the level-headed thug who takes the lead, the brutal one who suggests that any violent action is justified, and the one who just wants the money and is too scared to resort to violence. The crew of antagonists is literally exactly the same as the ones in Panic Room and every other movie of this genre.

It's clear that everyone involved in this production was trying to make a good film. There's a lot of talent present behind the camera and the actors really do their best, but it's a real shame that the premise and script inevitably result in a generic thriller that cannot overcome its tropes.

Story: 2
Acting: 7
Script: 2
Visuals/Sound: 6
Entertainment Value: 4

OVERALL SCORE: 4.2/10… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

JLuis_001

May 27, 2018

Gabrielle Union shows she can get better roles, while the director James McTeigue shows he's still in the minor leagues and he still unable to upbest what he did in his best film: V for Vendetta.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Robwinz

Aug 2, 2020

Breaking In, the movie's got a very basic plot and it's about this group of criminals who are invading this mother of two's house.

The action sequences are very bland and very cheesy, there's no sort of thrill from them which makes them quite boring. The direction on which the cast haveBreaking In, the movie's got a very basic plot and it's about this group of criminals who are invading this mother of two's house.

The action sequences are very bland and very cheesy, there's no sort of thrill from them which makes them quite boring.

The direction on which the cast have been put through for this movie isn't great, their characters can feel quite boring, cringy, lifeless and not very memorable at all.

Also, the dialogue from the characters throughout this movie is honestly so cheesy and so cringy, it's so bad.

Overall, it's not a great movie. It's got a very basic plot, bland and cheesy action sequences, characters feel very boring, cringy, lifeless and not very memorable. Also, the dialogue is honestly very cheesy and very cringy, it's not worth the watch.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

IcyArtiste

May 21, 2018

While I desperately wanted to be impressed by a movie with a Black female lead playing a hero, I left the theater extremely disappointed. The movie was poorly written and constantly reminds you, in the dialogue, that she is a woman and a mother. No, seriously. It could probably make for aWhile I desperately wanted to be impressed by a movie with a Black female lead playing a hero, I left the theater extremely disappointed. The movie was poorly written and constantly reminds you, in the dialogue, that she is a woman and a mother. No, seriously. It could probably make for a good drinking game. Every scene someone, either the intruders or Gabrielle Union made mention of the fact that she is a mother... and yep, you guessed it... she is also a woman. I'm sure you can imagine how frustrating that could be. The plot was extremely cliched, and the characters were very underdeveloped.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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