Some horror concepts live on forever. Slashers like Freddy and Jason used to enjoy decades of non-stop success, even as their films lost quality. Modern audiences prefer new twists on old ideas. Fans are in a boom period of unique and engaging horror films. Though there’s no shortage of new talent, concepts that attained success over fifteen years ago still have a place at the multiplex. Look no further than the continued excitement for The Strangers.
Bryan Bertino wrote and directed The Strangers. It was his big break into Hollywood, and its tremendous box office success marked him as a new talent worth watching. His career has had several unusual ups and downs since then. His promised follow-up, That Man, never emerged. The best film in his filmography is unquestionably The Blackcoat’s Daughter, which he only produced. His 2020 outing, The Dark and the Wicked, earned rave reviews, potentially labeling it his best directorial effort. With his 2025 project Vicious waiting in the wings, Bertino may still be on the way up.
What is The Strangers about?
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Director |
Bryan Bertino |
|---|---|
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Writer |
Bryan Bertino |
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Stars |
Liv Tyler, Scott Speedman, Gemma Ward, Kip Weeks, Laura Margolis, and Glenn Howerton |
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Release Date |
May 30, 2008 |
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Runtime |
85 Minutes |
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Box Office |
$82.4 million |
The Strangers is a stripped-down, straightforward home invasion horror film. James Hoyt brings his girlfriend, Kristen McKay, to his remote summer home for a romantic vacation. Unfortunately, their once-happy relationship recently took a dark turn. The cabin is carefully decorated for maximum atmosphere, decked out with rose petals, and flooded with a diagetic soundtrack. James and Kristen arrive, distraught and visibly emotional. A flashback reveals Kristen rejecting James’ heartfelt marriage proposal, leaving their love in limbo. James calls his friend Mike to arrange an exit for the following morning. As James and Kristen try to reconcile with some physical intimacy, a loud knock at the front door draws them away.
James and Kristen answer, speaking to a young lady with a carefully hidden face. She asks if Tamara is home, but the couple sends her away. James lights the fireplace and leaves the house to buy Kristen cigarettes. While John’s away, the young lady knocks again, prompting Kristen to shout her away. The fireplace sets off the smoke alarm. She knocks it to the floor, breaking it. The film’s best shot depicts Kristen strolling through the house as a man in a sackcloth mask watches from a distance. He disappears before she notices. Sounds draw her attention to the sliding glass door. She draws a knife and investigates, finding the masked man and screaming. Kristen spots a woman in a porcelain doll mask through a crack in the door. She locks it and hides in the bedroom. James arrives and enters without noticing the masked strangers. James doesn’t believe Kristen’s story, but the intruders will only get closer as the night goes on.
What is The Strangers‘ Rotten Tomatoes Score?
The Strangers has a 49% positive score from 164 critics and a 48% score from over 250,000 audience ratings. It’s a divisive film with an almost perfectly divided score. The Strangers was a cult hit that found its audience over time. Fans defend the slow pace and stripped-down presentation as creative choices to maintain the atmosphere. Detractors point out the repetitive scares, familiar premise, and lack of payoff. The kindest way to describe The Strangers is as a simple home invasion horror film with a few solid performances to liven things up. The thematic depth kept The Strangers alive as a topic of conversation among horror and true-crime fans, prompting a sequel and an upcoming reboot.
How does The Strangers end?
Once James returns from the store, the masked intruders spend some time tormenting their targets. They destroy their phones and damage James’ car. As they try to escape, the intruders crash into them in their truck. James and Kristen hide in the bedroom with a loaded gun. Mike appears early, walking slowly into the house as he sees the car disaster outside. James mistakenly shoots Mike dead as he passes the bedroom door. James remembers a radio in the barn, prompting them to take to the yard. The masked intruders knock out James and Kristen. As the sun rises, Kristen and James wake up tied to chairs in the living room. Kristen asks why they chose them, to which a masked woman responds, “Because you were home.” The intruders remove their masks and stab James and Kristen. James quickly dies, but Kristen struggles to pick up Mike’s phone. The intruders take the phone and leave her to bleed out. They speak to a pair of young boys handing out religious tracts on the road, taking a pamphlet after admitting to being sinners. The boys reach James’ summer home and investigate the scene. When they touch Kristen, she screams, ending the movie with the final jump scare.
The Strangers is a movie too simple to hate. There isn’t much to it, but a few clever creative choices keep it engaging enough. A generation of new horror fans pushed this franchise into the next two decades as a reboot prepares to try again. The Strangers: Chapter 1 comes to theaters on May 17th, 2024, to start a new door-to-door campaign.
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