From the very first trailer, I was incredibly excited for this movie. It looked like a home invasion movie that was boiled down to its absolute basics, and what could be scarier than that? In an era full of crappy horror films, what's better than giving audiences something that could happen to them when they go home at night?
So is The Strangers the fresh breath of life that the horror genre needs? Well... it could've been.
Inspired by true events (thanks,
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queen_oddity!), the film follows couple Kristin McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman), who are heading to the Hoyt family summer home to unwind after attending a wedding. Kristin looks miserable for whatever reason... and once in the house, it's apparent that James has set the scene for a romantic evening - rose petals, wine, music and all. Judging by the tension and disconnection between the two of them, though, it's obvious that the evening is a bust. As the early morning hours (3am, 4am) creep by, the awkward and painful silences are disturbed by knocking at the door - the couple ward off a blonde woman whose face we can't see, who claimed to be looking for a friend. When James leaves to fetch Kristin some cigarettes, things pick up in a bad way. Soon comes much louder knocking. Then, movement on the back patio. And again at the front door. Kristin is being toyed with, and between waiting for James, trying to keep up with her tormentors, and struggling to defend herself, things get out of control. Once the couple reunites, the house has already been infiltrated, and it becomes a matter of getting out alive. Three to two, though... not good odds.One on hand, it's quite easy to spot where this movie goes. It's like any other home invasion story; and this story, after all, has been publicized before - look it up and read about it. The thing that makes this one especially jarring is the motive behind all the mayhem - or lack of one. That said, there are several awesome things about The Strangers - but just as many moments that made me wince.
Liv Tyler (Armageddon, The Lord of the Rings trilogy) makes for a sympathetic enough leading lady; we get from her relationship with Speedman's character that she's obviously got some issues to work out, and we really do care about whether she makes smart decisions or not once all hell breaks loose. My only gripe is that she could've been more assertive with the role - the overly-hesitant, soft voice gets tired about halfway through the film. As for Scott Speedman (Underworld), he's nothing to shout about here, but makes for a smarter leading male than in most horror movies - even though he had way less screen time than I predicted. The only other people we really spend time with in the film are the killers - all three of them. Seeing as they're wearing masks and we only hear their voices a few times, I really can't judge them.
The coolest thing about this movie is that it brings back a breed of horror movie that's been slowly dying (or certainly hasn't been done very well in a while now): the slow burn. It's thirty minutes of character set-up... thirty minutes of very odd and squeamish occurrences... and then about an hour of struggle between the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s). It sounds basic, but the beauty of it is creating a mood so very uncomfortable that the audience grows genuinely worried rather than impatient. And let me tell you: for the first hour of the movie, I was too scared to eat my damn Raisinets.
First time writer/director Bryan Bertino has certainly shown some of his strong points here - and then some merely "okay" ones. The direction is mostly handheld, which is the most obvious and appropriate way to go, particularly during the more active scenes. But occasionally, he threw in these well-placed shots from random spots in a room, just to let the audience know that the intruders are always watching. And then there's the really fantastic wide shot of Liv Tyler in the large living room... and then, far into the background, steps the man with the sack over his head - like a morbid version of Where's Waldo. The shot goes on long enough to lend a creeping, surreal quality to what's happening. Plus, few things are scarier than being watched in your own home. In terms of writing, I think the script was hit-and-miss. Kristin and James are set up perfectly, and their actions stay true to their characters. Still, they do a couple of dumb things. A little too much screaming. A couple of bad lines. Some very repetitive moments (while masks are indeed quite scary and never get old... there are only so many times an audience will squirm at seeing a mask emerging from a patch of darkness). The script seems to have a few dips like that which I wish could've been patched up.
Another thing I think did not serve the movie well is the score. Composed by Tom Hajdu and Andy Milburn - otherwise known as "tomandandy" (The Covenant, P2) - it barely consists of more than a few emotional strings sections and a couple of badly placed cues that actually took away from the film for me.
On that note, the strongest part of the movie was the sound. Coupled with the idea that you are, in fact, not safe in your own home, every little sound you hear is enough to make your skin crawl. The Hoyt summer home also has a record player, which served as a very screwed up measure of discomfort for both our heroes and the audience. (You know that jumpy, irritated feeling you get when you turn on your TV and the volume is waaaaay up? Take that and multiply it a bit - it's that situation, all over.)
There are other parts of the film I could go into detail on, but you may have to judge for yourself and see where they all fit. The Strangers is definitely well-executed and knows how to yank audiences' chains, but it's weaker spots revolve around not being able to keep the suspense from the beginning churning right up until the end. Still, it's a surefire way to make you nervous about returning to your own house.
2008-05-31 01:07 am (UTC)