Break
Break (2019), a French survival horror film directed by Matthias Olof Eich, is a tense, adrenaline-fueled thriller that traps its characters in a deadly game of endurance, fear, and human depravity. Not to be confused with similarly titled dance or drama films, this Break is firmly rooted in the survival horror genre, blending the claustrophobic terror of The Descent with the psychological strain of High Tension. Its gritty atmosphere and moral ambiguity make it a lesser-known but gripping entry in modern European horror.
The film follows a group of five friends on a weekend snowboarding trip in the remote Alps. What starts as a fun, adventurous outing quickly takes a sinister turn when they decide to take a detour to an abandoned ski resort. After one of the group suffers an injury, the friends seek shelter in what appears to be an empty facility. However, they soon realize they are not alone.
As night falls, they become the prey of an unseen predator—a brutal, calculating hunter who stalks them through the snow-covered wilderness and within the dark corridors of the decaying ski lodge. Cut off from help and increasingly desperate, the group must confront not only the dangers around them but also the tensions and fractures within their own dynamic. Trust erodes, fear spreads, and survival becomes the only goal.
Break plays effectively with themes of isolation, vulnerability, and the thin veneer of civilization. The icy, mountainous setting is both visually striking and metaphorically chilling. Nature itself becomes an adversary, as the group must navigate freezing temperatures, limited supplies, and the psychological strain of being hunted. The film’s sound design amplifies this—wind howls through broken windows, footsteps crunch in the snow, and silence becomes more threatening than noise.
Though the premise may sound familiar to fans of survival horror, Break stands out in its raw execution and unflinching tone. The film doesn’t rely on supernatural threats or over-the-top gore. Instead, it builds suspense through realism, pacing, and a steady escalation of danger. The antagonist, whose identity and motivations remain deliberately obscured for much of the film, is a chilling reminder that the most terrifying monsters are often human.
The performances are solid across the board, with particular attention paid to the emotional collapse and resilience of the characters as the situation grows more dire. The film avoids turning its characters into disposable victims, instead giving them enough depth to make their fates matter. This emotional grounding elevates the horror and adds weight to the film’s more violent moments.
Despite its low profile and limited release outside of Europe, Break (2019) is a lean, intense survival horror experience. Its bleak tone, minimalist approach, and effective suspense make it a strong choice for viewers who appreciate atmospheric horror without excessive CGI or predictable jump scares. For fans of Cold Prey, Eden Lake, or The Ritual, this film offers a similarly grim and gripping ride through the darkest corners of the human survival instinct.
