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DokBrowne [ 5.5 ]
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Crafted in the spirit of "Halloween" with crescendoing creepiness, essential fears (someone unusual at the door in the middle of the night, unknown dangers in the darkness, etc.) and attention to composition, "The Strangers" shows a lot of promise, so I'm not really sure how it misses the mark. The movie plays smart with its musical score, dimly lit cinematography, and preference for dreadful build-up over violent release, but something goes missing in the...script? Exact timing of the scares? I dunno, but I wasn't feeling it. And usually, when a mysterious masked figure shows up quietly behind a character and follows them around, that voyeuristic tension is enough to induce goosebumps. Not here. Also, the already succinct running time (1:16 before credits) wastes lengthy passages on would-be extended suspense, such as Liv Tyler's limping escape outside the house, that continually fail to get under your skin despite all the techniques applied to that end, leaving a tedious aftertaste. Not even the harsh conclusion reverberates much. Maybe we just don't get properly invested in the characters? Or the scenes are recognizably disturbing but strike the wrong notes?
No fault is due the actors, really, or the admirable intentions of the filmmakers, who at least honed in on an effective direction of horror cinema. But it underwhelms.
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jeff_v [ 6.5 ]
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Rahter pointless, but it doesn't pretend to be otherwise. Does a better job of making the characters sympathetic than Cloverfield, and runs through the paces of the slasher film pretty well. Can't say there was anything particularly noteworthy (the idea of letting the audience know what happens ahead of time just cuts the bullshit, but doesn't add anything to the proceedings), just a solid genre flick.
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| Weighted Rating | : 6.5 |
| No. Ratings | : 2 | |
| No. Reviews | : 2 | |
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