The Strangers

(2008)***1/2

Kristen and James are returning from a wedding reception and staying in James’ family’s remote summer home. We learn through some flashback snippets that James had proposed to Kristen but she turned him down. Rejecting James’ proposal cast a predictable negative tone to the evening and we feel the uncomfortable tension between the two as they attempt to get through the rest of the night together. This tension is soon interrupted by a sharp knock on the door. Opening the door the dour duo find a young girl who asks, “Is Tamara home?” When told that she has the wrong house she walks away but stands in the yard and lingers for a moment.



James leaves soon after to buy some supplies from a five and dime. Now alone in the house Kristin is startled when there is another knock on the door and we hear the same girl ask, “Is Tamara home?” After telling her that she has already been to the house Kristin suddenly finds herself barraged by loud knocking from all over the house. Adding to the tension is a blaring fire alarm set off from the fireplace. When Kristin attempts to call James with her cell phone she finds that her battery is low. Putting it down to charge for a moment she returns to find it gone. While freaking out, Kristin catches a glimpse of a man wearing a creepy mask. Soon James returns and although initially skeptical of her story he soon learns that she is telling the truth as a trio of mask-wearing sociopaths victimizes the two during a long night of terror.



The Strangers is scary, like Halloween (1978) scary. First time director Bryan Bertino, manages to achieve the vibe and feel of Carpenter’s legendary scare-fest, something that countless slashers have failed to do over the past three decades. After watching numerous films that have attempted and mostly failed to emulate Halloween, it struck me how truly impressive Carpenter’s small yet terrifying story continues to be. Why Halloween worked has been the subject of endless analysis. Having watched it again recently for probably the 30th time I think it boils down to a few characteristics other directors typically overlook. Carpenter keeps his story simple, he uses interesting camera angles, he makes innocuous settings appear eerie and claustrophobic, and he uses (created) a minimal, repetitive synth score.



It could be argued that The Strangers rips off Halloween, but I don’t believe that would be a fair statement. Director Bertino just gets it. He doesn’t rip off Halloween, he just understands why Halloween continues to be effective. In his film the “Strangers” don’t just appear, they emerge in the background while the protagonists are doing other things. The top still is a great example. This is the first moment that we see that stranger wearing that freaky sack. Kristen doesn’t see him and won’t for a while. The other two “Strangers” emerge similarly in other scenes. The screen composition is Cracker Jack! Like Halloween The Strangers has a grainy, unclean feel to it rather than the slick polished look of today’s horror films. Additionally, rather then pound us with rock or any popular music at the moment (which would make the film outdated 6 months later), director Bertino wisely chooses long stretches of silence punctuated by loud door knocking and wall banging. The situation is scary.



Okay, so why not a higher rating? A few reasons, actually. First, the characters just aren’t very likable. We never really get to know them beyond a few flashbacks showcasing the breakup moment of their relationship, and quite frankly, I thought Kristen was a jerk for turning down James’ proposal. She never offered a convincing reason why beyond, “I’m not ready”. Another problem is that it’s made clear early on that the “Strangers” are real people yet they move in and out of scenes with impossible stealth. You can’t walk across a large wooden floor without making at least one creak! Also, there are a number of cheap scares of the hand on the shoulder variety (e.g., “I didn’t mean to scare you” - well don’t walk up to her and put your hand on her shoulder while you’re dealing with three sociopaths!). Finally, and this is a biggie, I just didn’t like one specific aspect of the ending, which would spoil the film if I clarified. Suffice it to say I didn’t derive any satisfaction from the climax (infuriated is more like it) and felt cheated after such a perfect first act. Still, one might argue that these complaints are minor compared to the overall gestalt of the story. While these specific aspects of the film detracted from my overall rating, The Strangers is a creepy story that is very much worth your time.