The Strangers:
Unrated (Universal Blu-ray)
Picture: B+ Sound: B+ Extras: C Film: B-
Horror films have had many incarnations over the years; with classic
monster films of the early years, slasherfests of the 70s and 80s, and the
recent torture porn that audiences have become accustomed to in recent years
audiences have seemingly seen it all. The Strangers is a film that dances the
line between film about nothing and a suspenseful thriller. The film maintains a good pace throughout as
it evolves from a quiet night in the middle of nowhere to a disturbingly
horrific home invasion. There is no
doubt that the film executes itself with precise subtleties, something that
many films fail to do accurately, but in the end fell short of making any lasting
impact on the horror genre as the impressive suspense that was layered on
throughout the film’s entirety came to a screeching halt at the last possible
moment. It is not that the film’s ending
was a complete letdown, it is just strange there was not something more. Viewer’s demand substance from a film and The Strangers fell slightly short of
expectations on that front.
The film begins as ordinary as any; though the viewer can feel the
imminent sense of horror on the horizon.
As the darkness swallows the night a couple that are obviously going
through some relationship troubles return to their cozy cabin in the middle of
nowhere to retire for the night. Kristen
(Liv Tyler) has just turned down a marriage proposal from John (Scott Speedman)
and the once romantic night suddenly shifted into a dreary slump. Just as the wavering couple settles in for
the night there is an oddly ominous knock on the front door. The door is opened to a shadow draped female
asking for a person who does not live there; with a simple no the girl slinks
off into the night. John soon after
leaves the house to get a pack of cigarettes and clear his head as he gets into
his car and drives off. Kristen is left
alone in the house to have a few drinks and listen to some music on the record
player. Soon after John’s departure
there is another knock on the door, with the same girl, asking for the same
person who does not live there. From
that point on Kristen is terrorized by creeping shadows, sudden slams, and
moved objects to show her that she is not alone. As John returns home he tries to keep a level
head, but he and Kristen soon realize that there is no rationale behind the
terror they are about to experience.
Three masked strangers (truly scary) arrive to terrify the couple with
an unbounded viciousness that creates an atmosphere of insane intensity. But that is where the depth of the plot
ends. There is no more, no less.
Though this reviewer can say that sitting in the dark with this film
is one of the creepiest and suspenseful horror experiences he has ever had, the
film just simply lacked substance. The
film has little too no blood or gore throughout, which is admirable, but
without those shocking elements, there must be something else to hold the
suspense together.
Though The Strangers did
little in terms of depth or meaning, it was a fun and suspenseful film
experience. The film left this reviewer
saying “Wow what would I do?” In a world
that wants gore, blood, and brutality in their horror films; The Strangers toned it down and
utilized a plethora of nerve wrecking scare tactics to unhinge the viewer. The limited cast did an excellent job in
expressing the horror that surrounded them and made it seem almost unimaginable
that the sickness that occurred that one brutal night on film, actually could
and does happen in reality. Though the
film boasts of “Based on True Events,” the reality is that it is mostly based
on the atrocities of the Manson Murders.
The Strangers was fun and suspenseful, if a bit more meaning or motive
had been placed into the film it would ranked up there with some of the best.
Stranger things have happened, but this Blu-ray manages to project the
darkness in a great light. The picture
is presented in a 2.35:1 1080p/VC-1 that even when pitted against an insanely
dark nighttime backdrop projects with solid blacks, balanced colors, and a
great crispness. The film’s dark setting in most cases would spell for
disaster, as so many in the past have left the viewer squinting to see through
the pitch black horror, but The Strangers manages to finely balance the
elements to make for an excellent horror movie viewing experience that dose not
strain the viewers’ eyes while it strains their hearts. The audio is equally as good as the image in
its DTS-HD Lossless Master Audio 5.1 Soundtrack as it picks up every ambient
noise to give even the toughest viewer the chills. The sound quality overall is crisp, clear,
and down right nerve wrecking as the “Boo Factor” takes over. The score is not the best this reviewer has
ever heard, but it works well with the film and elicits a solid atmosphere as
it nicely projects from the speakers.
The extras are essentially nonexistent on this Blu-ray release only
offering fans two lackluster features to view.
One being a 9 minute featurette entitled “Elements of Terror” that looks
VERY BRIEFLY at some interviews with the cast and crew; the second feature is 6
minutes of Deleted Scenes that neither add nor detract from the film. Overall, this reviewer would expect a double-dip
for The Strangers as this release
offers little too no valuable extra features.
Was The Strangers the best
horror film ever? No, but it does manage
to keep the viewer on the edge of their seat throughout. Some have criticized the film for lacking
gore and not having enough horror action sequences; but this film definitely
falls into the realm of “less is more” as it uses subtle devices to heighten
the horror. Horror films like Saw have begun to rely too heavily on
gore and shock factor, rather than any real kind of horror. The Strangers on the other hand holds the
viewer in tortuous anticipation to the bitter end. The proper setting to view this film is not
with the lights on or in a theater or even with a ton of friends. Turn out the lights, get a friend (or go it
alone if you dare), and watch the terror unfold as a odd knock on the door
turns into something much more.
- Michael P. Dougherty II
