Rick Murkin

If I Die Before I Wake (1998) is one of those crime thrillers that’ll keep you up way past your bedtime, even if you’ve got work in the morning. The story kicks off in a sleepy suburb, where everything seems chill—until, surprise, a ruthless gang of criminals breaks into the house of a seemingly regular family. The main character, a young boy named Billy, spends most of the night hiding and watching the horror unfold as his family gets terrorized. It’s not exactly a light watch, but it’s got this edge-of-your-seat energy that’s impossible to shake off. The tension just keeps cranking up. The criminals have their own twisted motives, and they’re definitely not messing around. Meanwhile, Billy’s trying to outsmart them, sneaking around the house and pulling off some wild, desperate moves to protect himself and the ones he loves. There’s this raw, nerve-shredding vibe throughout, thanks to the claustrophobic setting and the way the story never really lets you breathe. You get this real sense of dread, like anything could go wrong at any second. The movie isn’t just about violence or shock value, though. It digs into the fear and helplessness people feel when their safe space turns into a nightmare. Rick Murkin’s involvement gives it this gritty, no-nonsense punch—he doesn’t sugarcoat anything. By the time the credits roll, you’re left thinking about what you’d do if you were in Billy’s shoes, and honestly, it’s kind of haunting.