There is one perfect moment in “Breaking In ” that one goes to see a movie like “Breaking In” for and it comes relatively early on.
Gabrielle Union’s character, Shaun, has found herself under attack in the driveway where she’d been attempting to order pizza for her two kids. She’s unaware that her son and daughter have already been grabbed by the home invaders. She’s shoeless, surprised and on interminable hold with the pizza place when the attack happens. But, she also has just accidentally broken her wine glass and, so, as resourceful ladies are wont to do, stabs the guy in the chest with the stem.
‘Breaking In’
› Rating: PG-13 for violence, menace, bloody images, sexual references and brief strong language.› Running time: 88 minutes
Thankfully she’d had the chance to gulp down the contents first considering what comes next, which, might actually not be a bad idea for the audience either. Your house is under attack and your kids are being held hostage. Are your “mama bear” instincts up to the task?
It’s not a bad idea and Union proves more than capable of nailing her Liam Neeson/Bruce Willis moment of save-your-family action stardom, but the movie has trouble sustaining interest over its brisk 88 minutes. Directed by James McTeigue (“V for Vendetta”) and written by Ryan Engle (“Non-Stop”), “Breaking In” is basically “Panic Room” in reverse, but less clever and thrilling.