The Strangers
Director:Bryan Bertino
Cast:Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Kip Weeks, Laura Margolis, Gemma Ward
When a young couple arrives home from a friend’s wedding, what was meant to be a romantic weekend getaway quickly dissolves into a night of spine-tingling terror as the frightened lovers falls prey to a trio of silent, masked strangers and find themselves fighting to survive.
What makesThe Strangers unique from other horror films is the behavior of the strangers and the compelling power of fear. The uncomfortable atmosphere at the genesis of the movie creates an idealcatalyst for the terror which unfolds as the night darkens. The emotions of the protagonists are already smoldering in the aftermath of a heated confrontation, and when Kristen (Liv Tyler) is left vulnerable and alone at the house, the stranger’s invasion shatters what is left of her already fragile nerves and she is rendered powerless against the frightening attack. When James returns, he is initially unconvinced of anything being amiss, but soon he too is drawn into the strangers’ sinister game and rendered just as frightened and helpless as Kristen. Ironically, instead of killing Kristen and James immediately, the killers seem more inclined to silently toy with the couple and empower themselves more by frightening them rather than killing them.
In the broad light of day, the masked assailants don’t seem as intimidating, or their motives as sinister. Nevertheless, even when the silence is broken and the shrouded faces revealed to the terrified couple, the trio manage to impart a final devastating blow before they drive off into the sunrise, taking with them a gospel tract and the knowledge that they can do better next time. The story concludes by coming full circle back to where it began, and the twist at the end gives the audience one parting burst of saturated fear as the nightmare fades into the credits.
This movie is without a doubt one of the most unnerving horror films that I have ever seen and the terror is only magnified by the silence of the villains and the increasingly malevolent game that they play. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves watching a psychological thriller done right.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director:Bryan Bertino
Cast:Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Kip Weeks, Laura Margolis, Gemma Ward
When a young couple arrives home from a friend’s wedding, what was meant to be a romantic weekend getaway quickly dissolves into a night of spine-tingling terror as the frightened lovers falls prey to a trio of silent, masked strangers and find themselves fighting to survive.
What makesThe Strangers unique from other horror films is the behavior of the strangers and the compelling power of fear. The uncomfortable atmosphere at the genesis of the movie creates an idealcatalyst for the terror which unfolds as the night darkens. The emotions of the protagonists are already smoldering in the aftermath of a heated confrontation, and when Kristen (Liv Tyler) is left vulnerable and alone at the house, the stranger’s invasion shatters what is left of her already fragile nerves and she is rendered powerless against the frightening attack. When James returns, he is initially unconvinced of anything being amiss, but soon he too is drawn into the strangers’ sinister game and rendered just as frightened and helpless as Kristen. Ironically, instead of killing Kristen and James immediately, the killers seem more inclined to silently toy with the couple and empower themselves more by frightening them rather than killing them.
In the broad light of day, the masked assailants don’t seem as intimidating, or their motives as sinister. Nevertheless, even when the silence is broken and the shrouded faces revealed to the terrified couple, the trio manage to impart a final devastating blow before they drive off into the sunrise, taking with them a gospel tract and the knowledge that they can do better next time. The story concludes by coming full circle back to where it began, and the twist at the end gives the audience one parting burst of saturated fear as the nightmare fades into the credits.
This movie is without a doubt one of the most unnerving horror films that I have ever seen and the terror is only magnified by the silence of the villains and the increasingly malevolent game that they play. I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who loves watching a psychological thriller done right.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.