The Strangers: Chapter 1

★★★ 1/2

When I was a teenager, the trailers for The Strangers scared the shit out of me. The premise and imagery horrified me, and that first poster is still seared into my mind. As I got older and developed a love of horror films, I finally got around to watching it and found myself disappointed. Not even an appearance by the Golden God himself could save the first film. The years-later sequel, The Strangers: Prey at Night, was an improvement, but not by much. So when I heard that there would be another Strangers film, this time a prequel about how “The Strangers became The Strangers”, I couldn’t have cared less. Does this film explain how these kubiki-mask-donning, hatchet-and-knife-wielding psychopaths became who they were? No, and nor do I really care. But lo and behold, it’s the best entry in the franchise thus far.

A young couple - Maya (Madeliene Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) - are celebrating their fifth anniversary as a couple. Their car breaks down and strands them in a small town where it seems that possessing an aggressive resting bitch face is a prerequisite for being a town resident. They order food at a local diner to pass the time and, of course, the mechanic tells them that the part won’t be available until the morning. Conveniently, there’s a rental house that’s a mile away from the town (of course!) that would be perfect for the young couple to stay at for the night.

At this point in the film, The Strangers: Chapter 1 begins to follow nearly identical beats to the first Strangers film:

-Someone is standing in the background that they don’t see!

-The scared couple get a shotgun and blow the head off of - the wrong person!

-The words “Hello” are written in what looks like lipstick on the inside of one of the doors!

The difference between the past two installments and Chapter 1 is that director Renny Harlin has managed to do something that the other two films have not done a good job of: building and creating tension. For the first time watching a Strangers film, I felt anxious, even at the most predictable of turns. The ending of the first film felt so undeserved, and this time I ended up feeling like I could sympathize more with the characters who were being attacked. Even in a one-dimensional film like this, Harlin does a great job of letting you know a little more about our two leads, establishing a deeper connection between the audience and them. Madeliene Petsch is a standout in this film, and it’s nice to see her flex her acting abilities outside of the campiness of Riverdale.

Is there bad dialogue in this film? Yes. Are there weird references to certain elements and characters in the story that are just brought in for a moment, motioned towards as though they’re something important, and then never heard from again? Also yes. But Harlin has done a decent job at constructing tense moments and giving just a tad more weight to the characters that are being tracked down by these maniacs.

Supposedly, Chapter 1 is the first part in a trilogy of films, with the remaining two having been filmed at the same time and all set to be released later this year. The Strangers: Chapter 1 is nowhere near a perfect film, and it does have its faults, but it’s one of the better than the others, so I’d say that’s a win.

Release Date: May 17th, 2024
Rated: R (for horror violence, language, and brief drug use)
Running Time: 1 hour, 31 minutes

Directed by: Renny Harlin
Written by: Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland
Story by: Bryan Bertino
Produced by: Courtney Solomon, Mark Canton, Christopher Milburn, Gary Raskin, Alastair Birlingham, Charlie Dombek

Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Ella Bruccoleri