Arts & Entertainment

Movie Review: The Strangers

By Citizen Correspondent Robert Waldman
Date Posted: 05/30/08
Reader Rating:

Frames that open this film attest that there are 1.4 million violent crimes a year in America. What a sad commentary. Set on Feb. 11, 2005 this story charts the experiences of two friends. Fresh from a wedding party appear Kristin McKay and James Hoyt. Nothing out of the ordinary seems odd about these two. Tension, however, seems to be in the air especially when they go to James’ summer home.

Way out in the boondocks is where the secluded house rests. Uptight describes Kristin’s manner while James also seems a bit at ease. A late night knock on the door foretells hours of ghastly goings-on as the pair become essentially trapped inside the house by a group of demented strangers.
Just how Liv Tyler (One Night at McCool’s) and Scott Speedman (Underworld) wound up in this 85 minute flick is anyone’s guess. First time director/writer Bryan Berting makes a rather auspicious debut as a director in a story that lacks any raw thrills. Lethargic pacing sees us wait and wait for something bad to happen. Only towards the end does the nastiness click in. Unfortunately by then many will have lost interest as the build-up to the chaos is really way too long and the payoff rather lame at best.
Horror films need to shock. With The Strangers we’re given a tired storyline of a few folks menacing a couple of innocents. Nothing fresh appears and we’re left watching a non-eventful story with very few scares and little else to offer.
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