Sometimes it is nice to see an unpretentious and functional thriller. Breaking In certainly fits that description. Shaun (Gabrielle Union) travels to her recently deceased father’s luxurious but remote house with her two kids to arrange for its sale. She interrupts a gang of four man intent on robbing the place.
So much of this film is predictable. The thieves are the expected cliches… a charismatic older leader, a callow youth who doesn’t want to hurt anyone, a psycho who wants to kill everyone, and the expendable one that you know will be first to die. Shaun, and her kids, turn out to be remarkably resourceful and lucky under pressure, even without having a special set of skills.
Despite that, the film worked for me. Director James McTeigue propels it along so that I didn’t question the plot holes and Union makes a great heroine, with Ajiona Alexus also good as her feisty daughter.
Rating: 7 out of 10