Average horror fest

In a nutshell, The Strangers is an innocuous addition to the modern horror genre. The film is a creepy, atmospheric thriller that opts for effective jolts and scares as an alternative for a mindless gore-fest. Films such as these thankfully assist in the dissipation of the gory torture porn genre. It's relieving and refreshing to witness an attempt to rebirth the golden days of horror like John Carpenter's original Halloween.

With The Strangers, writer/director Bryan Bertino employs a simple concept as a foundation for a bone-chilling thriller. Naturally the film is silly, clichéd, and we've probably seen it all before. Bertino nevertheless manages to present his audience with edge-of-your-seat thrills and a moderately convincing set of events. Even better, the taut scares get under your skin. Nothing is ever dwelled upon...when something happens, there's no repetition or extensive staring. This keeps the audience immersed and vulnerable to the next slab of scares.

Writer/director Bertino apparently pieced together a few details from actual violent crimes to use as a basis for the story. The film opens with the following disclaimer (with a voice-over narration):
"What you are about to see is inspired by true events.
According to the F.B.I. there are an estimated 1.4 million violent crimes in America each year.
On the night of February 11, 2005 Kristen McKay and James Hoyt went to a friend's wedding reception and then returned to the Hoyt family's summer home.
The brutal events that took place there are still not entirely known."

Kristen McKay (Tyler) and James Hoyt (Speedman) are a young couple who depart a wedding reception and head back to an isolated vacation house. Before long, Kristen and James are faced with a night of psychological terror. Three deranged psychopaths donning peculiar masks begin stalking the young couple and unleash their horrific agenda.

The Strangers generates an atmosphere of dread and complete isolation. At one stage a character points out the lack of typical suburban ambiance. Hence the initial character development is set to almost complete silence except for voices and the music they play. It's unexpected and unpredictable when the terror begins. Bryan Bertino shows potential as both a screenwriter and a director. The atmosphere is unflinching and undeniably terrifying at times. His script is just marred by the overuse of clichés and, of course, the film's conclusion is predictable due to the initial disclaimer (and the epilogue that's regrettably tagged onto the opening sequence). Things do get extremely silly as well when the film nears its conclusion. The final scene clearly screams "sequel!" (At the time of writing this review, a sequel has been announced but nothing further has developed). In addition to this, there are a few plot holes and illogical moments. The character development is also embarrassing in all aspects. We just don't feel for the characters when they're exposed to intense peril.

Driving the standard script is a solid cast. Liv Tyler does remarkable things with a customary stock character. At first glance she seems like the simple "horror babe" who cries frequently, isn't capable of fending for herself and does silly things. Be that as it may, Tyler brings depth to her role and the fear is palpable in her convincing facial expressions.
Scott Speedman is also believable as the standard horror hero of the piece. He yells conventional lines such as "Run!" and "It's okay" while being the clichéd hero on a mission to protect his beloved lady companion. Similar to Tyler's performance, Speedman can capably bring emotional depth and credible character traits to overshadow the abundance of clichés.
In the supporting cast we have three actors portraying the masked psychopaths. These three actors turn in fabulous performances. The psychotic nature of their characters is truly palpable.

Overall, The Strangers is flawed by all accounts but it delivers a decent dosage of thrills and chills. It's also overflowing with atmosphere. At the end of the day, The Strangers is concise and succinct: running at a brisk 80 minutes, the pacing is kept tight. You'll watch it, you'll get scared, you'll easily forget. It's relieving to witness an American horror film that does not rely on the gore in a disillusioned attempt to create suspense. If more talented screenwriters are given a shot at this genre, the torture porn phase will steadily die.

6.25/10