The Best Horror of 2022: Home Invasion Thriller ‘See for Me’ Gives Strong Start to the Year

An indie home invasion thriller gets 2022 off to a strong start, setting the tone for what appears to be another solid year for horror. See for Me, released on VOD at the beginning of January, employs a familiar home invasion setup. But it becomes more unique and engaging through its lead character.

Sophie (Skyler Davenport) was once a highly successful and renowned skier, but blindness seems to have cut her career short. The dashed dreams and aspirations bred resentment in Sophie, leading her to push everyone away as she clings tighter to stubborn independence. When Sophie takes on a cat-sitting job at a secluded mansion, she even hides her blindness from the owner. Then three thieves break-in, not realizing anyone is home. Sophie’s only means of defense and evasion comes from a phone app that allows an army vet and gamer, Kelly (Jessica Parker Kennedy), to operate remotely as her eyes.

See for Me, directed by Randall Okita and written by Adam Yorke and Tommy Gushue, is more interested in exploring the moral complexities of its protagonist. Sophie’s blindness naturally enhances the suspense, as she’s forced to sneak around an unfamiliar place to evade detection. However, that’s not the focal point. It’s her bitterness that largely shapes the events of the evening. Sophie’s guarded and abrasive, but she’s also willing to lie and steal.

Davenport, a visually impaired actor making their feature film debut, does an impressive job of imbuing a potentially unlikeable protagonist with a rooting interest. Sophie is a flawed character that often lashes out or makes questionable choices. Her caustic stubbornness can have consequences. Through Sophie’s interactions with Kelly, we get to see vulnerability and growth, as the guarded walls slowly dissolve first through necessity then friendship. 

The luxury lodge nestled in the wintry woods becomes a character in itself, with Okita using this space to maximize the suspense at every opportunity. Though Sophie and Kelly might be the focal point, Okita injects plenty of thrills. Wide angles capture both Sophie and the thieves as they sneak around, one trying to find the other yet often unaware just how close either are to detection. Okita never ceases to find distinct angles or keep things visually interesting, even when the house’s layout seems to shrink in scope as it becomes more familiar and the plot needs progressing.

See for Me isn’t the first home invasion thriller to feature a protagonist unable to see their attackers. Wait Until Dark remains the most well-known, thanks to one unforgettable climactic scare and Audrey Hepburn as the heroine. A few years later brought Mia Farrow’s See No Evil, which used home invasion as the starting point for psychological horror. Don’t Breathe notably turned the tables on the home invaders. But See for Me offers an authentic performance with a visually impaired actor and gives Sophie agency with flawed complexity.

It’s what keeps Okita’s stylish thriller fresh and fascinating; even after the home invasion thrills evolve into something else. So far, it’s one of the best horror movies of 2022.

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Indie Horror Spotlight: Horror media is more crowded than ever, making it challenging to keep up with all of the genre titles available via streaming platforms, VOD, and theatrical releases. It can be overwhelming just to browse. To help prevent great indie horror from slipping through the cracks, we’ll spotlight our favorites every month.

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