Drop review: Modern horror delivers chills - and no ghosts are required

A few things are scarier than a first date, and horror films finally have the memo.

Screenwriter and director Christopher Landon has built a stunning reputation with his dark comedies, including the 2017 hit film Happy Death Day, and the filmmaker has added another notch to his belt.

Drop, which is in cinemas now, follows widowed single mother Violet (Meghann Fahy), who goes on a first date with a charming man she met online, named Henry (Brandon Sklenar).

READ MORE:

READ MORE:

Before the dinner date, we learn that Violet - like most mums - is overly protective of her five-year-old son.

She entrusts the babysitting duty to her carefree sister and steps out on the town, hoping the night will go smoothly. Her wish is short-lived.

For the following hour or so, Violet is terrorised by airdrop messages instructing her to kill her date, who just happens to be a top photographer for the mayor. If she doesn't comply with the cryptic messages, her son and sister will be killed by a masked henchman waiting at her house.

Our lead's only saving grace is the knowledge that whoever is sending the threats is also in the restaurant since airdrops can be sent and received within a limited radius.

As Violet attempts to uncover her aggressor while keeping the threat hidden from Henry, we witness what could be the worst date of all time—and possibly the best cinema experience I've had this year.

Drop won't be the first thriller you watch about a character being forced to make a deadly decision, but Landon's spin on the trope exposes a fear that lays dormant in all of us.

The attack against our leading lady is orchestrated almost entirely online; the villain finds out precise details about her, from her name to where she will be sitting on the night of the date, without ever meeting her.

She initially receives playful memes and thinks nothing of it. Her date even explains how common it is to receive airdrops from strangers in public, confessing that it happens to him all the time during his daily commute. Can you relate? I know I can. In fact, I've resorted to turning off my airdrop at all times, just in case.

In a world where horror films are riddled with state-of-the-art CGI depicting disfigured monsters, this thriller opts for a realistic and relatable evil: our phones.

But the director doesn't just deliver a chilling plot, he also perfects the balance between laughs and scares. Our comic relief comes in the shape of waiter Matt (Jeffery Self), who effortlessly glides in and out of scenes, slicing through the film's life-or-death tension.

Fahy steals the spotlight from start to finish, playing the hesitant single mother who turns violent in a bid to save her child. The Hollywood star is not afforded the escape of scene-stealing filming locations; she is placed firmly in the hot seat and captivates nonetheless.

This should come as no surprise to TV fans, who were stunned by her acting chops in HBO hit drama The White Lotus, but it is undeniable she was made for the big screen. Sklenar similarly woos as her doting date, who may be a tad too 'movie-boyfriend' perfect.

Although the thriller fleetingly touches on heavy themes such as domestic abuse, it isn't too concerned with being 'deep.' Instead, Landon provides a thrilling viewing experience that would be perfect for a date night— but maybe not a first date.

Drop is in cinemas now.