Rent The Strangers (2008)

Disppointingly average - The Strangers review by CP Customer

Having watched the trailer, I had really high hopes for this film. Unfortunately, they show the best bits in the trailer.

In fact, nothing much happens for about 1 hour, and I was tempted to turn it off at one point. But I solidered on and low and behold the creepy mask horror we had been promised in the trailer came to life. At this point it gets moderately better, and there are some really good 'jump out of your skin' moments but on the whole it is a huge antil climax to a very average and slow moving film.

NOT BASED ON A TRUE STORY in as much it's not a true story - The Strangers review by CP Customer

Despite the beginning of the film telling us that it is based on a true story BUT no one knows what really happened and then taking Bertinos words at face value - he admitted that the idea came about from an experience he had as a kid when some one came to the door and asked for someone who wasn't there - then he heard about a number of burglaries in his area on houses that were unoccupied! The inspiration for the film he says comes from The Manson Family murders and that's it!

Film is aggonising on suspense.

An average horror that lingers in the memory ... - The Strangers review by NP

This remains a curious horror piece. After watching, it impresses as a fairly gruelling, mean-spirited showcase from director/writer Brian Bertino – but when you are actually watching, it is apparent that not a lot happens.

Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman play Kristen and James, an inexplicably annoying couple who are both awkward and unhappy when we first meet them (Kristen has just turned down James’ wedding proposal). A small group of nameless masked characters invade their home and subject them to torture. That fills the 85-minute runtime.

Locations are all bathed in a uniform washed-out beige throughout, making the film a rather bland affair visually. Kristen is sullen and needy, while James does everything with a swagger, and I found it hard to warm to them. His friend, equally self-assured Mike (Glenn Howerton) joins the luckless ensemble for a time.

We get to know nothing about the aggressors, which is fine, not even what they really look like. “Next time will be easier,” they say toward the climax, and that’s as much explanation as we get.

Thinking back over the film as the final credits roll, I found that I quite enjoyed ‘The Strangers’, and I can’t quite work out why. It’s slickly made and features some moderately gory moments, but doesn’t do anything other home invasion films haven’t done. It became a sleeper hit and earned a sequel ‘Prey at Night’ ten years later and a film trilogy that began in 2024.