Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.

InspireGato Film Perfection

Console best movie i've ever seen.

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

djfrost-46786 Kinda slow, and quiet too. Best parts are the masks. That being said you can see where American Horror Story got alot of their stuff from. Specially Cult. Very average movie though.

Horror I expected nothing from this movie but it really surprised me. The relationship between the two characters to begin with is very well done which works well for the film. The are a lot of creepy bits in this film to keep us entertained. If you want a happy ending you have come to the wrong place!

The Movie Diorama I was so looking forward to watching this again, it had been years. I remember this being superbly scary. Now, this really didn't affect me and found it had too many flaws for it to be classed as a good horror film. It's inspired by the true events of a couple returning to their summer house and being terrorised but three masked strangers. That's literally all this is. There is no reasoning for targeting this couple in the first place other than "because you were home". It just lacked certainty and reasoning. I know that's the point of this film, a random attack where the film depicts only the events of the night. This is a fictionalised story based on true events, it would not have hurt to have some backstory on both the couple and the strangers just to add that much required layer of interest. I appreciated the realism, I liked the small environment and I loved the concept of tormenting your victims before actually ending their lives (I'm sane, honest!). However, when the characters have the emotion depth of a lamp post, it means nothing. I didn't care for their fates at all. Liv Tyler was extremely weak in this, her scared acting skills were unbelievably dull. Scream all you want, doesn't make you a good actress. Scott Speedman was fine I guess. The physical presence of the strangers were menacing and I found many of the jump scares were effective, even if they were just loud noises. Suspense and tension were maintained throughout, probably because I had to turn up the damn volume as the voice track was so flipping quiet! What was that about!? Had to turn up the sound bar to 36! That's madness. For all it's technical excellence in the horror genre, The Strangers lacks that connection which makes us invested into the film. Oh and that ending, really? You're going to conclude on a jump scare? I don't care anymore.

NateWatchesCoolMovies You'll be double checking that your doors are triple dead-bolted after The Strangers, the finest pedigree in home invasion/stalker chillers, a film so lethally unnerving that even a few moments in the trailer alone can get people squirming. On a dusky autumn's eve, Scott Speedman and Liv Tyler arrive at their remote cottage to get some downtime. Giving each other the cold shoulder following a spurned marriage proposal, the mood is anything but romantic, but that's nothing compared to the nightmarish arrival of three masked intruders who terrorize them the whole night through. First time Writer Director Brian Bertino has a brutal, bleak edge to his script and knows how to stage the scenes of fright in gut churning, uncomfortable fashion. Nothing about these Strangers is ever divulged, motive nor backstory, they're just relentless phantoms of the night who chose this poor couple simply because "they were home." The cinematography is gorgeously auburn and amber burnished, full of rich deep shadows that could be hiding anything, and quite often are. 1970's inspired design creeps into the detailed production design as well as the soundtrack, and all the elements contribute to an immersive atmosphere. The ending has always been a point of contention amongst people since this came out (Ebert wrote an unfair, misguidedly scathing report), and it's understandably tough for audiences to sit through such a depressing, hopeless conclusion. But considering this is Hollywood, where every film and it's mother has a happy ending or something numbingly predictable, it's a nice swap to get bludgeoned out of nowhere by a complete, no fucks given conclusion that leaves no way out for anyone and an upsetting, anxious feeling in the air. I love that the director had the stones to finish off the film like that, and I love even more so that the studio let him keep it, other outfits should take note of where and when to dole out creative control at the expense of making a memorable, lasting experience. A no frills nightmare that sends you straight to anxiety-ville. Keep those lights on when you turn in tonight and don't answer the door if someone knocks. Don't even move or breathe.