The Strangers

[baumer]

Discuss

[baumer]

The characters in Friday the 13th are Rhodes Scholars compared to the characters in The Strangers If you are a fan of horror films, then you have probably seen Scream. In it, Randy, the resident expert of the idiocy of horror movies, gives you the rules of horror films. In it he tells of all the things you should do in a horror film, but end up not doing anyway. I think this film is inspired by Randy's dialogue in Scream. This is the most clichéd horror film in the history of clichéd horror films. Comparing this to Halloween or the Shining makes me throw up in my mouth a little. It is just plain blasphemy. This is nothing like the greats from the 70's and the 80's. It's not even as good as CHUD, Friday the 13th or any other decent but flawed horror film.The problem with this film is that everything that these characters should not do, they do. Now, THERE ARE GOING TO BE PLENTY OF SPOILERS HERE SO IF YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO KNOW ANYTHING FURTHER BECAUSE YOU ACTUALLY PLAN ON WATCHING THE FILM, THEN DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER.First, you are being hunted in the house, you have a shotgun that can blow a hole through an elephant, and you are in a room that has one way in and one way out. You are safe. All you have to do is wait it out or the both of you leave the house together with the safety of the shotgun. Or of course the alternative is to separate and one person stays behind without the shotgun, the other goes to a barn to find a two way radio. The last thing sane people do is separate. If I was being hunted in my cottage with my wife by my side, the last thing I would do is let her stay behind while I go find a radio. She would be by my side all the time.The best friend comes over at about 4 in the morning. He sees his buddies car bashed up. He sees the door with axe marks in it. He can see that something isn't quite right. Then has something smash his window. What should he do? Before entering the house, he should call the police and report suspicious behavior. But no, of course not, he enters the house with the loud playing music and doesn't call his friends name, or turn the music off, he of course walks silently into the open doorway and gets shot in the face by his best friend.The classic case of not believing your girlfriend when she tells you that someone has been in the house. "No sweetie, you just imagined that you saw someone and you must of dropped your cell into the fire." Sure that happens all the time.Every one of these characters deserved to die. They were stupid, unrealistic and completely clichéd in the worst possible way. And for the makers of the film to pretend this is based on true events is ever so manipulative. I read the supposed case this is based on and saying this is based on a true story is like saying Rambo is a love story. It's just plain wrong.The Strangers is one of the most incompetent films I have ever seen. There is no suspense, no thrills, no chills. There could of been, but you lose all feelings of remorse or sense of caring for the main characters because the screenplay betrays them so much.1/10 Truly, truly horrible film.

[The Toymaker]

You are so correct, baumer, which I am starting to question why the hell I gave this a B. I think I was judging it on scare factor alone and not (as you'll see soon with my criticisms made 10 mins after watching) the absurd actions of the characters. In hindsight, and after reading your review, I can see that it was very bad. All edits are bolded.

The Strangers

Well I watched it. It's not good, and it didn't scare me half as much as Vacancy did. The only real scary one in The Strangers was the man with the mask, the two women (or girls) were not scary at all. The film didn't build up enough suspense either. I was sitting there watching it, ready for the taking - they could have really shat me up - but nothing happened to scare me at all really. Good concept, but I think it lacked in execution. It had some good ideas, like the knocking and what-not, and when Tyler is getting a glass of water and he appears from the shadowy corner of the room, that was nice (and it instantly got my heart lightly pumping), but it wasn't built upon. After that part, it kind of fell apart. They should have had 2 men and 1 woman, or all three men - would've made it a lot scarier. Liv Tyler, as with all bitches in horror movies, made too much noise at the critical moments and gave her position away. I hate that. And the husband made the same mistake they all make in horror movies; 'the run for it to get help' idea. Just fucking stay put, in the corner of the bedroom, with the shotgun in your hands, and keep firing at whoever comes through the door until daybreak. Easy. They would've survived if I had been there.

The good thing about Vacancy is that there is a happy ending, and I know that life isn't always about happy endings, but with a horrible encounter such as these films, it's good to put it to rest at the end, whereas The Strangers leaves it morbidly in the balance.

D-

[Kevin Bacon]

Solid horror movie. There's a bit too many flaws in logic and the plot is a bit too thin for it to be great though, which is a shame because the atmosphere was killer and it really could've been something special. There's still plenty of chills (mostly before the husband went out) and the acting is good by horror standards. I'd like to see the concept blatantly stolen in the future and handled with a bit more finesse in the writing department. 7/10

[cheesypoofs]

I've always felt that this was one of the most underrated horror movies in recent years. I enjoyed it for what it was.

[rockNrollaDIM]

I liked it.

[baumer]

I just cant get past how absolutely horrendously stupid the script is.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

A. Kept me glued to the film the entire time. Very suspenseful!

[baumer]

Im going to be sick.

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Im going to be sick.

Oh wait I thought this was for When A Stranger Calls haha.... D!!!!!!!! This movie was boring and unrealistic at the end! Edited July 28, 2013 by KingKong

[Jack Nevada]

It's an effective, competently made little horror movie and I liked it. 

[baumer]

It's an effective, competently made little horror movie and I liked it. 

 

How is it competently made when every decision that the characters make are the most inept and ridiculous ones possible?  

[Deep Wang]

How is it competently made when every decision that the characters make are the most inept and ridiculous ones possible?

Isn't that every horror movie ever made?

[The Stingray]

Easily one of the better, more effective horrors post-2000.

[Napoleon]

It's hard to take any movie seriously when the characters don't even act like human beings. Very uninspired, disposable movie.

[cheesypoofs]

On 10/21/2012 at 6:06 PM, cheesypoofs said:

I've always felt that this was one of the most underrated horror movies in recent years. I enjoyed it for what it was.

I watched this again last year and still stand by this