The low-budget slasher Don’t Make a Sound is a dark, disturbing horror movie about a deranged serial killer who likes to film his mostly female victims as he stalks and kills them. However, despite the sordid murders, Don’t Make a Sound is also a story about a child’s courage bolstered by a mother’s message from beyond the grave. That child’s bravery injects the movie with enough heart to overcome the sleaziness of its unnamed villain.
Ultra Low-Budget Horror from HH Entertainment Group
Produced by HH Entertainment Group, Don’t Make a Sound was released February 11 on streaming services Tubi and Amazon with more platforms to be announced. The film is directed by Jt Kris and stars Junie Liv Thomasson as the young heroine Grace and Christian Sorokin as the killer.
“Don’t Make a Sound was a real no-budget film we made over the course of 10 months,” says Kris, whose real name is Jonas Thomasson. “We knew it was a B-movie, but we had a great time making it.”
Visceral and Unsettling
Don’t Make a Sound spends its first 20 minutes following a sadistic murderer on his daily killing spree, cutting between shots of him stalking and killing his victims with claustrophobic shots of him staring into the camera listening to a strange voice that I assume is in his head. Most of the killings are shot from the point of view of the killer who enjoys filming his prey as they run and cry and beg. The scenes are unsettling and have snuff-film vibes, not unlike the Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007). Christian Sorokin definitely looks the part of a madman as he stares directly into the camera with haunted eyes and an unnerving smile. The last of his victims from the opening scenes is a young girl named Hayley (Saga Muro Johnsen) who he captures and carries off to his stone-enshrouded lair in the forest. Her fate is unknown.
Watch Don’t Make a Sound
Fast forward one week later and we meet Grace watching a video of her late mother delivering words of comfort and love. Her older sister Billie (Tina Martinez) is with her, preparing to drive Grace on a long trip to live with their aunt. Along the way, their car breaks down in the forest where the killer lurks, and the story picks up steam as Grace starts playing a dangerous game of cat and mouse. The axe-wielding killer is wearing yellow coveralls and a black gas mask as he stalks her, but Grace stays one step ahead of him until their inevitable confrontation. I won’t give away the ending, but it is unexpected.
My favorite part of Don’t Make a Sound is how the movie uses the late mother’s video to convey her belief in Grace and how Grace transforms that belief into the courage necessary to face an impossibly terrifying situation. It adds real emotion to the story. While limited by its budget, Don’t Make a Sound still manages to deliver the chills and thrills of a classic slasher thanks to Sorokin’s creepy performance as the killer and Junie Liv Thomasson’s turn as the feisty heroine.
INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR
The director Jt Kris agreed to an exclusive interview with MalevolentDark.com to talk about Don’t Make a Sound and his love of American slasher films.
MD: How old is the actress who played Grace, and how was it directing her in such an intensely violent role?
KRIS: Junie Liv was 11 when we filmed Don’t Make a Sound, and she’s turning 13 this year — time flies! Since she’s my daughter, she’s been in all my films, so at this point, she’s a total pro.
When directing kids, especially in intense scenes, the key is keeping it fun. We always talk through the scenes beforehand, so she knows everything is just make-believe. It’s all about keeping the mood light — lots of jokes, behind-the-scenes laughs, and making sure she never feels like a “victim” in the story. Instead, she’s always strong, a fighter, a heroine.
The biggest difference from directing adults? Prep takes longer, and the energy needs to stay fun and positive. But honestly, she handles it like a champ. Sometimes, I think she directs me more than I direct her! She’ll even say, “Dad! I know, I know! I don’t need direction — I know what to do!”
MD: Are you a fan of American slasher films?
KRIS: Absolutely! I love American slashers and pretty much all horror movies, especially the old-school ones from the ’80s like Friday the 13th and Halloween. There’s just something about their simplicity that makes them so fun — straight to the point, full of suspense, and almost always with a satisfying and usually bloody ending.
I really enjoy the campy, over-the-top nature of those films. They never take themselves too seriously but still deliver the tension and thrills. Plus, the practical effects and classic masked killers give them a timeless charm. That mix of brutal horror and pure entertainment is what I love most!
MD: What makes a good slasher villain, and what one trait did you want your villain to have?
KRIS: For me, a great slasher villain is one who has no limits — someone who feels truly unpredictable and unstoppable. The best ones aren’t just violent; they have a presence, a chilling aura that makes you uneasy even when they’re just standing still.
With Don’t Make a Sound, I wanted our killer to feel like a relentless force, but due to budget constraints, we couldn’t explore him as much as I would’ve liked. Christian Sorokin was perfect in the role, and I would have loved to give him more screen time, more eerie moments just being creepy in his own space. Maybe in the future, I’ll get the chance to expand on his character and dive deeper into his twisted mind!
MD: What was your favorite scene or moment to direct in Don’t Make a Sound?
KRIS: I really enjoyed shooting the scenes with Grace and Hayley together. There’s something about the dynamic between them — the fear, the determination, and their bond — that made those moments so intense and exciting to film. Working with young actors in high-stakes scenes like that always brings an extra layer of energy and fun to the process!
MD: You have four feature films under your belt with more in production. Where does your desire to direct and write horror films originate?
KRIS: I have The Arkansas Pigman Massacre coming out, a real B-movie that Eric Roberts has a tiny scene in, and also a short in the Amityville anthology Amityverse.
My love for horror started when I was a kid. From the time I was 12, I was making short films on VHS with my friends. I just always loved the genre, and even without much of a budget, I figured if I could make something creepy, why not give it a shot?
It wasn’t until as an adult that my daughter landed a small role in a bad low-budget horror film directed by a Polish director that it really hit me. If he could make a film with limited resources, then I could too. That moment gave me the push I needed to start pursuing my own horror projects.
MD: Your films often put children in danger. Is there a reason you’re drawn to that horror trope?
KRIS: Yeah, I think there’s something extra creepy about seeing kids in danger — it’s just unsettling. Kids are supposed to be innocent and protected, so when you throw them into dangerous situations, it taps into that primal fear. It makes the horror feel more real, almost like it’s crossing a line you’re not supposed to cross. Same goes for the elderly — there’s just something about the vulnerability of both groups that cranks up the tension. Of course, we’re talking about movies, not real life! But I always think of Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 with Jamie. Those entries always stood out to me because of how they played with the idea of a kid in danger. There’s something about taking that innocence and putting it in the middle of a nightmare that makes everything just a little more terrifying … and a lot more fun.