Sam Raimi made his name as a producer of high-concept films in 2016. fear-income Breathing – a home invasion story with a bad twist. He returned nearly a decade later as the producer of the high-concept horror thriller don’t move – and while it’s not part of any ‘Don’t Cinematic Universe’ genre, it’s another short, sharp genre shocker that packs plenty of punch.

The real kicker this time is that it’s actually a cat-and-mouse serial killer thriller with a mouse who can’t escape. That’s because Iris (an impressive Kelsey Asbille), who is mourning the loss of her son and contemplating suicide at the beginning of the film, has been injected with a “special relaxant” by the stranger who convinces her not to jump. He said he had 20 minutes before he was affected, during which time his body would become increasingly unresponsive. Although the effects are not permanent, it will take some time for motor functions to kick in again. So the game isn’t just about whether Iris can escape her killer; It’s about whether he can play the long game and survive long enough to regain his autonomy.

Directors Adam Schindler and Brian Netto keep the pace, constantly evolving the plot in new ways, varying the stakes of the chase to keep things fresh throughout the largely tense 90 minutes. Along the way, Iris can’t move anything but her eyeballs as she struggles with an anthill, raging currents, and an oncoming lawnmower, all while trying to signal strangers for help. Asbille cleverly modulates her performance, always convincingly portraying Iris’s shifting states of activity, while Finn Wittrock is menacing as the killer ‘Richard’ (or is he?), who gets more than he bargained for with his latest kill.

The results are consistently interesting and well calibrated for Friday night netflix viewing – a brilliant calling card for filmmakers, even if it won’t linger long in the memory. The attempt to give Richard some motivation in the final reel seems unnecessary, and despite some crunchy moments of violence, there isn’t a single sequence that will go down in horror history. But it’s some well-crafted popcorn fun just in time for Halloween, and you can watch it right away because it’s streaming straight into your living room. You don’t even need to move.