The Strangers is and always will be one of my favorite horror films of all time. I know many people do not like these types of movies and if you're one of those people, then you won't like The Strangers. I am a little biased in doing this review because I am a huge fan of horror movies, especially slasher films involving serial killers so I am writing this review from that kind of standpoint. Nevertheless, The Strangers is a highly suspenseful film with intense scares and a dramatic conclusion that will make you feel like someone has gutted your stomach after it is over. That is the true mark of a good horror film and this movie has it. So what makes this so good?
The plot focuses on James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McCay (Liv Tyler) who have returned to a summer home after a friend's wedding reception. James had asked Kristen to marry him and she had said no, so the atmosphere in the beginning of the movie is already tense and unsettled and it will remain that way throughout the rest of the movie. There is a knock on the door and dollface (Gemma Ward), one of the masked killers, asks if Tamara is there (she is obviously not wearing her mask yet). From this point on, the couple are stalked and terrorized by the three masked killers. The other two killers are pin-up-girl (Laura Margolis) and the man wearing the potato sack basically (Kip Weeks). That's it, the plot is really simple.
Before you say this movie is pointless because they should have called the police or just driven away, let me tell you that it wouldn't have worked! When they do try to drive away in their car, the strangers smash it using their pick up truck. When they tried to use their cell phones, they realize that the batteries have been removed and the phone lines have been cut so the landline could not be used. Running away in the woods wouldn't have worked because then the killers would have simply chased them down. So in other words, common sense and logic are not violated in this movie.
This film is not essentially good because of the plot, but most definitely because of the level of fear and suspense that it creates. This uncomfortable and frightening atmosphere is conveyed through lots of noise and a few really scary, piss-your-pants scenes. For example, at one point, Kristen is standing in the kitchen smoking a cigarette and the man in the potato sack appears in the background and just stands there and watches her without her noticing. He just stands there for a while and although the audience is tense waiting for something to happen, the man just disappears back into the shadows. In another scene, Kristen encounters the man in the mask staring at her through the back door. This in my opinion is the scariest part in terms of what will make you jump. But it is these types of moments that separates The Strangers from other horror/slasher films. This movie is not all about the blood and gore, it is about scaring the crap out of the audience by creating an environment of high tension and suspense through the stalking and terrorizing of the couple. To me, this type of movie is a lot scarier than a simple slice-and-dice slasher flick. There is nothing scarier than being invaded in your own home by killers since home is where we think we will always be safe.
The atmosphere of the film elicits even more tension because the audience never knows when the killers will actually strike; they could be anywhere and ready to do so at any time! And as I said, the movie speeds towards a dramatic conclusion that will make you feel like you just had your intestines ripped out. The fact that we never see the faces of the killers reminds us that they are strangers and that makes it more fearful as well.
If I had a complaint or two about this movie, I would say that if it took place in a bigger house with more floors and rooms, perhaps it could have been scarier because there could have been more stalking and more jump scenes in the house itself, like in When a Stranger Calls (2006). Because the house is so small, there is only so much you can do inside and because of this, the movie does rely a little too much on sounds to produce scares. But the scenes that are meant to terrify do an excellent job of doing so. All of the actors did an excellent job as well.
This movie almost made me crap my pants the first time I watched it so if you love horror movies and you love being scared, then I HIGHLY recommend you see this movie! You will NOT be disappointed!
BaD BiRdS: EXCELLENT!!
~MJ Aufiero
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