The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024) Lionsgate/Horror RT: 91 minutes Rated R (horror violence, language, brief drug use) Director: Renny Harlin Screenplay: Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland Music: Justin Caine Burnett Cinematography: Jose David Montero Release date: May 17, 2024 (US) Cast: Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Matus Lajcak, Olivia Kreutzova, Letizia Fabbri, Ryan Brown, Ben Cartwright, Stevee Davies, Richard Brake, Pedro Leandro, Ema Horvath, Janis Ahern.
Rating: ** ½
Let it be known that The Strangers: Chapter 1 is actually a “relaunch” as opposed to a remake or prequel. Apparently, the makers are scrapping the previous two films- The Strangers (2008) and the sequel The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)- and starting fresh. It’s the first installment of a new trilogy from director Renny Harlin (remember him?). The second is due later this year and the third some time in 2025. Now that you’re all caught up, let’s get to the review.
The first thing that struck me about The Strangers: Chapter 1 was the two protagonists, Maya (Petsch, Riverdale) and Ryan (Gutierrez, Cruel Summer). They have to be two of the dumbest people in the world. They make every mistake a horror movie character can possibly make. I am astonished they made it to the 45-minute mark with all the dumb s*** they do. I realize that horror movie characters are inherently stupid because if they actually possessed a shred of intelligence or common sense, you wouldn’t have a movie. HOWEVER, these two people go above and beyond the call of duty in terms of idiocy. They make the teens in the Friday the 13th movies look like rocket scientists.
Young unmarried couple Maya and Ryan get lost while driving cross-country and end up in the small, barely a blip on the GPS town of Venus, OR. They stop at a diner to get a bite to eat where they find themselves the center of attention- i.e. everybody stops and stares when they enter the joint. When they go to leave, their car won’t start (big surprise). The mechanic tells them he won’t have the part he needs until tomorrow (another big surprise) which means the hapless couple will have to stay the night. With the town motel closed for renovations (do I need to say it?), the locals suggest they stay at the town “internet house”- i.e. Airbnb- a remote cabin deep in the woods. What other choice do they have?
Anybody familiar with the series knows what happens next. The titular trio- Man in the Mask, Dollface and Pin-Up Girl- shows up and starts terrorizing Maya and Ryan. This is when their stupidity really shows. Ryan has to return to town and leaves Maya alone in a strange place. She hears noises outside. What does she do? She pokes her head outside to see who or what is making the noise. You think that’s dumb, wait until you get a load of this. With all the freaky stuff happening, Maya decides it’s a good time to take a shower. Neither she nor Ryan thinks to call 9-1-1 until it’s close to too late. These two make so many poor judgment calls that you start to root for the killers to put these idiots out of their blissful ignorance.
Some people regard Harlin as a hack. I don’t. I think he’s a decent filmmaker. Sure, he has a few duds to his credit (e.g. Born American, Exorcist: The Beginning), but the good definitely outweighs the bad in his case. My favorite Renny movies include A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Die Hard 2, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane, Cliffhanger, The Long Kiss Goodnight and Deep Blue Sea. With The Strangers: Chapter 1, he has crafted a fairly effective thriller with plenty of tension. There are even a few nice “BOO!” scenes. However, it’s all the same stuff we’ve seen before. Every cliché associated with horror and thrillers are on full display here. What keeps it interesting are the protagonists’ continuous acts of stupidity. You’ll be rolling your eyes and gripping your arm rests at the same time.
The two leads, despite their characters’ lack of intelligence, turn in decent performances. By that, I mean they give the kinds of performances the genre calls for. They get scared convincingly and look good doing it. What more do you want? It’s not like they’re doing Hamlet. The cinematography by Jose David Montero is very good. He makes excellent use of both confined and wide-open spaces. Sure, potential victims running through the woods at night is a total cliché, but it works here thanks to the way it was filmed.
It’s been a pretty strong year for horror and while I may have a few misgivings about The Strangers: Chapter 1, I’m putting it on the good list. I have a lot of respect for filmmakers who don’t succumb to studio pressure and deliver a toothless, watered-down PG-13 borefest (I’m looking at you, Tarot!). Thank you for keeping it R, Renny.
