The Strangers (2007) Movie Review, Trailer, Film Still and Poster

U.S. 2007
Director: Bryan Bertino
Cast: Scott Speedman, Liv Tyler, Gemma Ward, Laura Margolis, Kip Weeks, Glenn Howerton
Release Date: May 30th 2008
Rating: R
Running Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

The Movie Review

The Strangers film still 1


THE STRANGERS
Storyline:
Cast:
Ending:
Overall:

In the horror movie realm, terror could come from anywhere. Anywhere that is only limited by the screenwriter's creativity. And it was an excellent choice to create the terror from the "inside". As opposed to the majority horror films released recently, where the protagonist (and the victims) are looking for the trouble themselves by venturing to the normally-prohibited area. But to make a good horror entertainment, premise alone is not enough, so let's take a look if The Strangers could live up to the expectation and live up to its very admirably tense trailer.

The Strangers is about a couple, James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) who are just having a normal night coming home from a party and do some pretty normal routine (though a bit depressing) before going to have an intimate night. Suddenly, a girl is knocking at the door violently looking for someone who isn't there. James and Kristen start to worry for the worse when that mysterious girl comes back just to knock even more violently. The couple's biggest fear could not be more wrong when they start to see people wearing creepy masks stalking them from outside and...apparently also from inside their house. What is even stranger, they seem to don't have any real motives for terrorizing. What do they want? Could James and his girlfriend survive the terror? And most importantly who are they really?

The Strangers is different. It's a horror movie, which unlike other mainstream horror movies, The Strangers use only a little musical score. It cleverly creates the atmosphere of terror which any other real world person could endure. For example, when you see a bank robbery, you don't hear any scary music do you? The Strangers takes advantage of sounds that can be created by the villains. And those sounds are powerful, such as loud banging on the door, screeching, and fire crackling, among others. And when the soundtrack song finally hits the screen, it is one of the creepiest songs ever. Not because of the tune, the genre or the lyric of the song, it's because the song is played like a broken record in the part that where when being repeated over and over will create a very disturbing and an unpleasant music.

Not much can be said from the cinematography, and I can understand that it is happening in a secluded house. But sometimes it is just too dark for the audience to enjoy (hmm, feel terrified of) the scenes. Along with this dark part, one major disappointment follows, just when we feel that these masked villains are completely mysterious figure which borders between real and unreal, suddenly one of them appears using flashlight walking like a lost teenager. Oh my, this scene alone can be categorized as "mystery".

Nevertheless, that above-mentioned flaw, even though a big bummer, still, the good parts of this thriller movie are absolutely praise-worthy. The story is clever to explore every possible angle in which the masked villains could use to terrorize the couple without appear illogical. What smart is the villain characters are given the traits of what supernatural-horror movie villains used to employ to create the fear, and The Strangers is not a supernatural horror film. The villains are clearly toying with the minds of the victims through the sounds, writings and lifeless intentions. All these too are thanks to the great performance of Liv Tyler, she is the star of this show. The Strangers would have suffered a big hit of blemish if the lead actress could not express the terror in her face. And Liv Tyler is so captivating with her facial expression, tears, fears and screaming. She obviously runs the place and once again shows the moviegoers that she is able to play in any genre. Just don't expect to see the other privacy parts of her body except for her back. And no women fleshes in here.

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But I for one thing, really dislike the ending. While it is a twist ending, still I would be really satisfied had I know who they are and what their intentions are. I pay much money for the ticket not to be left dangled like that. And I was sure the other moviegoers feel the same since I overheard their grumbling on our way to the exit door. And even if the filmmakers intend to make a sequel which explains "the motivations" of the masked villains, well, not every moviegoer might have the chance to see the sequel.
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Thinking more about The Strangers made me remember the 1999's phenomenon of The Blair Witch Project and its counterpart The Last Broadcast where most people assumed that one of them was the copycat of the other. Last year there was also a thriller film sharing the same theme with The Strangers, that movie is a French movie entitled Them. While both have similarities, both have differences too. What I'm saying is, that none of them could be easily said as a rip-off of the other. Both movies are mediocre-to-good horror movies. And both movies are very chilling when watched inside a movie theater with its big screen and stuff, or simply terrifying for those who watch it alone at home.

All things considered, I still recommend this thriller film, it's a powerful one and a smart one indeed. Had the script tweaked more, it would have been really a great investment of time.