The Strangers: Chapter 1

The original 2008 film was a highly praised home invasion slasher when it came out. I was incredibly disappointed with that movie. The direction was terrible, the characters were lame as fuck, but at least the killers looked cool.

About 10 years later, they did a sequel, which was a hell of a lot better. If you've seen that movie, then you'll know that the strangers die at the end, so where can we go from here? Not just a prequel... but 3 prequels?

Renny Harlin is no stranger to the horror genre. For some reason, he decided he'd raise this franchise from the dead and he already filmed three movies out of it that he plans on shitting out within this year or next. And that's what I really mean, "shitting" them out, because what is this "Chapter 1" movie? It's basically a remake of the first movie with only a few minor differences. Otherwise, it hits the same beats. Yes, even the cliche and eye-rolling ones. It even steals the ending, as well as accidentally shotgunning an innocent person.

Obviously, we don't want a backstory for these stranger characters because we don't want to ruin the mystique. So instead of fleshing any of that out, they decided to try to make us care for our protagonists. Yeah, our generic cookie-cutter dull heroes that have "victim" written all over their foreheads.

When the action finally hits, I was a little too bored to care. I'd find myself laughing at their misfortunes and hoping the movie would have ended sooner, even if the runtime already isn't very long. All I can say is I hope the next ones don't suck, because what was the fucking point otherwise?

Also, this movie features Richard Brake. He plays a sheriff in a diner who has no lines and doesn't do anything, and we don't see him ever again after his cameo. I guess he'll be in the sequel(s)?

Fuck this movie.

#Review