The Strangers

The Strangers is "based on true events” but it doesn’t need to use such shock tactics to be effective. In the age of major studios churning out limp horror remakes and mindless quickies one after another, Bryan Bertino’s directorial debut has gone and done the impossible — he’s made a truly frightening, visceral flick that defies the pitfalls most modern day horrors fall victim to — while under the Hollywood umbrella. Inspired by a real life incident, The Strangers finds James (Scott Speedman) and Kristen (Liv Tyler) arriving at a secluded vacation home in the late hours. There’s a rift in their relationship after a disagreement, leaving them distant and before reconciliation can take place a mysterious girl knocks on the door at four a.m. After dismissing her, strange occurrences begin to happen and soon they’re face to face with three creepily masked strangers in the mood for terrorizing. And Bertino leaves it as simply that. The movie’s climactic quotes — "Why are you doing this to us?” "Because you were home” — are delivered with the kind of emotion that defines a great film. Kristen is desperately confused, the killer is aloof and unsympathetic. As a result, Bertino’s ending is brutal in how it plays out — it faced critical scrutiny but I see it as perfectly cutthroat and credible, the kind of unapologetic closure that turns its back to mainstream demand. Also worth noting are Speedman and Tyler, who convincingly portray a couple emotionally divided yet struggling to escape despite little hope. And as far as the Funny Games comparisons go, well, Bertino’s home invasion is not a game but a meaningless way to pass time, and the wink of its eye at the viewer feels much more terrifying. A featurette demonstrates the heights they went to make the desolate setting work, which included filming inside of a warehouse to capture the right acoustics. Additionally, the producers speak of how the idea was to make a film that was "terror, not horror” and bring a "new approach to the genre,” which I agree with. Also of interest is how they focused on getting the most from Tyler’s performance, using surprise tactics to induce her reactions.