Quality horror films come in fewer and fewer numbers these days, and it''s a delight when one holds you by the throat.
There''s nothing like a film that keeps you breathless and guessing
from beginning to end, that gets the adrenaline rushing and has you looking down at your lap asking yourself, "Why do I subject myself to this?" With that being said, expectations were high for The Strangers , the new horror film starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.
The Strangers is about a couple who are spending the night at a summer home after an awkward proposal-gone-bad. Emotions are high and sentiments awkward, but nothing can prepare them for what they are about to go through. It starts with a girl showing up at their house - the wrong house. Then comes the knocking, and other sounds. Then the cell phone disappears, the door unlocks. There is someone outside - inside - everywhere. There are several people, wearing masks and intent on one thing: to frighten and kill the two people inside the house.
The Strangers had a lot going for it. The movie starred two reputable actors. The very first images released to the public were frightening. The trailer was creepy. And silent killers wearing plain masks are just damn scary. The first half of the movie lives up to the promise of the perfect slasher film. Writer/director Bryan Bertino keeps things quiet, adding music only when the characters are playing it (thankfully through a creepy medium such as a record player). The beginning almost plays out as a drama, hinting at something sad that has recently happened to the two leads. Subtle flashbacks tell us the story, then snap back to present where he establishes two strong, realistic characters. The girl shows up at the front door, and never before has a director made such an incident so creepy. The girl''s face, partially obscured in darkness (though one would note only one of the two patio lights is out), is just out of full view, making it seem like at any second she''s going to snap and do something terrible. Instead, she walks away.