Seen on: May 31, 2008

The players: Director: Bryan Bertino, Writer: Bryan Bertino, Cast: Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Laura Margolis, Kip Weeks

Facts of interest: Bertino's first film.

The plot: A couple is terrorized by three strangers trying to invade their vacation home. 

Our thoughts: Locking the doors is not a good enough reason to feel safe at home in Bryan Bertino’s directorial debut “The Strangers,” an incredibly frightening film about a couple struggling to survive a night of unforgettable terror. Whether it’s the creepy silence or a mix of unexpected, unsettling noises, this one certainly knows how to give its audience a good old scare in return for the price of admission.

Apparently based on true events, the film kicks off with James (Scott Speedman) and Kristen (Liv Tyler) leaving a friend’s wedding to spend a quiet night in their vacation home somewhere in a remote area. Although the doors are locked and all the lights are on, it quickly becomes clear they are not alone. Startled by mysterious knocks on the front door and unusual movement around the house, James and Kristen soon find themselves terrorized by three masked strangers with a cruel agenda.

Although “The Strangers” boasts a pointless and at times questionable story line, the film’s primary intention is to scare its audience, and in that, it succeeds admirably. It usually takes a whole lot for a movie to give me a fright, but I admit this one made me jump in my seat at least half a dozen times. Bertino’s stylish direction certainly plays a big role in the way the film builds tension, but it’s the clever use of terrifying silence, creepy sound effects, limited lightning and edgy editing that catapults the atmosphere into a state of terror throughout.

While too many horror flicks today completely rely on either cheap shock effects or a large dose of gore, Bertino’s debut choses another direction. Blood is very limited, and the brief shock moments and abrupt, shrill sounds always work perfectly. Who the intruders are and why they don’t kill their victims right off the bat is never explained, but it doesn’t really matter. I would have appreciated more information about why the strangers engage in all this psychological terror, but omitting the reasons does create an additional sense of mystery.   

On a different note, and from a global perspective, “The Strangers” remains a rather simple horror film in terms of story, featuring a series of minor flaws too obvious to miss. As so often in this genre, the characters make some unforgivably stupid decisions and mistakes that clearly kill off the plausibility of the film. Luckily enough, Bertino manages to overshadow this weakness via the film’s dominating suspense, although he can’t get rid of it completely.

Freaky quote: “Because you were home.”  – Gemma Ward

The final word: Weak story and shallow characters aside, the first-class suspense in the film lasts up until the very end, and watching Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman try their best to dodge the strangers and combat their fears through the night is indeed a thrilling experience. Much like “Vacancy,” this film leaves out the blood and physical torture, opting for captivating psychological abuse instead. But watch out; “The Strangers” will make you check your doors at least three times before you call it a night.  

Article by Franck Tabouring