The Strangers (2008)

I really, really wanted to like “The Strangers” but I walked away only kind of liking it. This is a film where the protaganists could have been a little less passive, the antagonists could have had a little bit more motive, and just a little bit more magic could have made this all very enjoyable. The casting is great, starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, and the script itself is fine. The build of tension comes a little slow but the cat-and-mouse game that the “strangers” play is effective and creepy. But as I’ve mentioned before, the French film “Ils” showcases these similar situations in a tighter and more effective fashion.

“The Strangers” is a film about a couple who are terrorized by a group of three strangers during a single night. Kristen and James are already on edge and are having a bad night after Kristen rejects James marriage proposal during a formal party. They return to the family summer home that belongs to James, where they plan to stay the night before going home in the morning. Early in the morning, a young woman knocks at their door asking if Tamara is there; Kristen and James tell her that there’s no one by that name here and so the girl leaves. James leaves shortly after to pick up some cigarettes for Kristen, and while he’s away, the woman comes back and starts banging on the door. Kristen tries to call James but her cell phone battery dies (of course) and is left to hide in the house while weird things start to happen inside. James finally arrives back at the summer home and that’s when the events begin to ramp up as they realize that they are being terrorized not by one, but by three people wearing simple masks that hide their faces. They try to escape but the Strangers are always one step ahead and are clearly in control…