#13 - the strangers

The Strangers (2008)

Director:  Bryan Bertino

Actors:  Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman

                        

Let me preface my review by saying that I am no Roger Ebert or Peter Travers.  I am not claiming to be a connoisseur of horror movies, nor am I suggesting that I am worthy of rating films for a renowned publication.   I’m simply a person who loves movies and who likes to write about “stuff”.  If you are not interested in scary movies or if you don’t like laughing… then delete this immediately.

The movie is The Strangers and the plot is simple enough.   Two thirty-somethings are terrorized by three masked “strangers” while spending the night in a secluded country home.  We learn that the couple (played convincingly by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) are on the rocks after James (Speedman) proposes at a friend’s wedding and Kristen (Tyler) says “no”.  They drive to James’ parent’s vacation home, expecting to spend a quiet night filled with awkward silence and regret.  (Ugh, I hate names that end in “s” or “z” because then it is really uncomfortable to make them plural or possessive)

Shortly after arriving they hear a loud knock at the door.  The kind of knock that would tell a normal person, “sh*t is about to go down”.  But apparently Kristen and James think it’s the girl scouts, so they answer it.  And why not?  It is only 4:05 in the morning and they are surrounded by nothing but abandoned warehouses and cemeteries.  Not really, but wouldn’t that be extra scary??  It is a young girl, but we don’t see her face.  She is asking for Tamara.  They tell her that she has the wrong house and the creepiness begins.  Unknown girl leaves the porch with three seemingly harmless words… “See you later”.  Here we go…

The strangers begin to terrorize the couple without mercy.  The suspense builds slowly, never really climaxing but keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout.  It does get a little long, even with a short running time of 90 minutes.  The movie is filled to the brim with horror movie clichés... Guy leaves girl alone, cell phones don’t work, girl hurts herself and is unable to run, car is damaged and cannot be used as a getaway, etc.  Still I enjoyed the movie and was uncomfortable due to fear on a number of occasions.

The movie was not well received by critics, getting average ratings across the board.  I could not figure out why, considering I found this movie particularly unsettling.  I explained this to Nathan before we watched it last night.  All he said was, “well, they [critics] have never been to a cabin in the UP then”.  Bingo. 

To me, it’s not about the “who”… although the masked assailants are definitely frightening, in spite of their simplicity.  Still though, it’s nothing we haven’t seen before (think Scream killer, Jason Voorhees, even Michael Myers).  And it’s not the “why”… in fact, we never actually learn why.  At the end of the film, Kristen asks the strangers why they are doing this.  The unknown girl simply answers, “because you were home”.  Brilliant.  There is nothing scarier than people killing just to kill.  And it’s definitely not about the “when”… nighttime is scary to anyone.

Isn’t it the “where” then, that is the real driving force of the movie?  Have you ever been alone in a cabin in the middle of the woods?  Completely secluded from all human interaction.  Unable to call for help even if you desperately needed it.  There is a real horror in knowing that no one would hear your screams.  And sure, we have seen the deserted cabin story before too… but not recently and certainly not as effectively.  The idea that Kristen and James are being stalked and terrorized by three psychopaths is scary.  But the fact that they have nowhere to run, is even scarier.

I’ve seen this film a few times, and even though I know what’s coming, I still find myself holding my breath on a few occasions.  The sound editing is fantastic and magnifies the experience exponentially.  I was lucky enough to watch this on Blu-Ray with an HD TV and surround sound.  The knocks on the door, the footsteps, the heavy breathing, the record player skipping, even the silence… it is perfection.  This is one of those movies to watch with all of the lights off and on a big TV.

The Strangers is by no means cutting edge.  As I mentioned earlier, we have seen it all before, but it is a breath of fresh air in a genre that desperately needed an authentic scare.  The Saw franchise, the Hostel movies, The Ring and its dark counterparts all rely heavily on gore and gross vulgarity to impress the audience.  The Strangers is as uncomplicated as it gets.  No blood and guts here (with the exception of a few brief scenes), just good old-fashioned scare tactics.

The closest kin to the movie are “Funny Games” and “Ils (Them).  Funny Games doesn’t even hold a candle to The Strangers in terms of sheer disturbance and the ability to stick with you after the movie has been taken back to the video store.  Ils (Them) on the other hand, is the French equivalent and is equally as scary, if not even more terrifying than its American counterpart.  They are more or less the same film with different actors speaking a different language.  If you can’t handle reading subtitles, go with The Strangers, you will be satisfied.

For people who are expecting an Oscar-caliber screenplay, sorry, but you are watching the wrong movie.  (The acting is first-rate, though, and should be commended).  There is no motive to muddy up the plot.  The “strangers” are there without cause, and that is truly terrifying.

Was The Strangers scary?  Yes

Jami’s Rating:  4 out of 5 stars

Would I recommend this movie:  Yes.  But don’t watch it alone.  And lock your doors!

the strangers trailer...