Rating: **** (out of 5)
WARNING: This review will contain spoilers.
The downfall of many horror films is that they never live up to the trailer. Most trailers for horror films are often more enjoyable than the films themselves, because all a trailer has to provide is some creepy imagery and a few "jolty" moments. Trailers are designed specifically to make the films look enticing enough to make potential viewers plunk down their money for the experience of watching the whole story. The sad reality is that the whole story isn't always as good as the preview. Which could be the reason why so many horror films rely on schtick - "witty" lines from the killer or killers, an unnecessary moment of nudity, or gore that is mostly out of place. Sometimes, the schtick works to the film's advantage. But, most times it doesn't.
Which is why it's very refreshing when schtick doesn't enter the mix. Or when we as audience members aren't spoon-fed tired material and are given works that are fresh, exciting, and either give us something we've never seen before, or use cliches to their advantage. Examples of "The Blair Witch Project," "Saw," "Hostel," and Michael Haneke's original German production of "Funny Games" (and not the shot for shot 2008 American remake) come to mind. They are original works that have given new life to a genre that has otherwise run out of ideas. The unfortunate nature of an original work is that it spawns a copy cat.
"The Strangers," the debut film from writer / director Bryan Bertino is hardly original. It is very much derivative of works like Haneke's "Funny Games." However, Bertino manages to use the material to its advantage and actually makes a truly creepy horror film. A film that manages to live up to and surpass any expectations from one of the creepiest trailers I've seen since "Blair Witch."
The film centers around the couple of Kristen and James, played respectively by Liv Tyler and "Underworld's" Scott Speedman. After a quick flash of the aftermath of horrors to come, we meet the unhappy couple following a disaterous night out that is never fully explained, but the audience is given enough details to work it out. (James has proposed and Kristen turned him down, citing later that she's "just not ready yet.") Now, they are stuck together for the night in James' father's house. The embarrassment and the elephant in the room of their crumbling relationship is the least of their worries.
Their misery is interrupted by a young woman looking for someone who doesn't live there. After she is turned away, James goes out to buy Kristen some cigarettes, in an attempt to drive around and clear his head. As he is absent, Kristen is visited and tormented by another visitor, revealed to be a man in a creepy white mask. When James returns, he finds Kristen locked up in a bedroom, brandishing a knife, and scared out of her wits. The pair search the house, but James is unable to find any proof that someone else is in the house, or even on the property...until he goes to get his cell phone from his car. He then sees that someone has trashed his car. Further torment and exploration reveals that they are not being terrorized by one person, but three - two women, one man, all wearing frightening masks.
"The Strangers" continues the feelings and emotions presented in "Funny Games," while remaining its own separate entity. It isn't a sequel or a follow-up to Haneke's work, nor is it related to it in any way beyond a central theme of people terrorized at home. A major difference between the two films is that, at times, "The Strangers" allows you some reprieve from the tension, but not much, where as "Funny Games" kicks off and never lets up until the credits roll. Another is that Haneke's film is almost bereft of music, with the exception of some that takes place in the story space, where as in Bertino's film, we have digetic music, as well as a score proved by tomandandy, who provided score for Alexandre Aja's remake of "The Hills Have Eyes." It's almost impossible to say if "The Strangers" would have benefited from a lack of score, but the score does work, creating very effective mood music.
I have very few problems with this film, which isn't perfect, but it's one of those films that you know could be tightened up, but not sure where and what to improve. Or, maybe it doesn't need improvement. Remember, this is a debut film. Debut films, even from masters of filmmaking, are ripe with flaws. The flaws in this film are few. This film is truly scary from beginning to end, with a final jolt that will leave you in a state of true disbelief. The film has been left wide open for a sequel, but a sequel would more than likely degrade what Bertino has created, rather than improve upon it. To me, this is a stand alone film that leaves you with no hint of the motivations of the three killers or their identity. Their faces are not completely revealed. You don't even get one of their names. This film is riddled with a mystery that allows it to excel over your standard horror film. The exposition from the inevitable sequel will only take away from the magic of this film. Then again, I could be wrong. Perhaps Bertino will create a sequek that will be just as satisfying as this, his first voyage onto the big screen.
But, my true hope is that he moves onto different territory and crafts a collection of horror films that will allow him to be amongst the brethren of horror greats. Maybe he could even surpass them.
Bryan Bertino is a filmmaker to watch. "The Strangers" is a film that will scare the living hell out of you. Don't wait for DVD, see this in the theaters. You will be spellbound from the beginning of the film and beyond the drive home. This is the best horror film of not only the summer, but the year thus far.
WARNING: This review will contain spoilers.
The downfall of many horror films is that they never live up to the trailer. Most trailers for horror films are often more enjoyable than the films themselves, because all a trailer has to provide is some creepy imagery and a few "jolty" moments. Trailers are designed specifically to make the films look enticing enough to make potential viewers plunk down their money for the experience of watching the whole story. The sad reality is that the whole story isn't always as good as the preview. Which could be the reason why so many horror films rely on schtick - "witty" lines from the killer or killers, an unnecessary moment of nudity, or gore that is mostly out of place. Sometimes, the schtick works to the film's advantage. But, most times it doesn't.
Which is why it's very refreshing when schtick doesn't enter the mix. Or when we as audience members aren't spoon-fed tired material and are given works that are fresh, exciting, and either give us something we've never seen before, or use cliches to their advantage. Examples of "The Blair Witch Project," "Saw," "Hostel," and Michael Haneke's original German production of "Funny Games" (and not the shot for shot 2008 American remake) come to mind. They are original works that have given new life to a genre that has otherwise run out of ideas. The unfortunate nature of an original work is that it spawns a copy cat.
"The Strangers," the debut film from writer / director Bryan Bertino is hardly original. It is very much derivative of works like Haneke's "Funny Games." However, Bertino manages to use the material to its advantage and actually makes a truly creepy horror film. A film that manages to live up to and surpass any expectations from one of the creepiest trailers I've seen since "Blair Witch."
The film centers around the couple of Kristen and James, played respectively by Liv Tyler and "Underworld's" Scott Speedman. After a quick flash of the aftermath of horrors to come, we meet the unhappy couple following a disaterous night out that is never fully explained, but the audience is given enough details to work it out. (James has proposed and Kristen turned him down, citing later that she's "just not ready yet.") Now, they are stuck together for the night in James' father's house. The embarrassment and the elephant in the room of their crumbling relationship is the least of their worries.
Their misery is interrupted by a young woman looking for someone who doesn't live there. After she is turned away, James goes out to buy Kristen some cigarettes, in an attempt to drive around and clear his head. As he is absent, Kristen is visited and tormented by another visitor, revealed to be a man in a creepy white mask. When James returns, he finds Kristen locked up in a bedroom, brandishing a knife, and scared out of her wits. The pair search the house, but James is unable to find any proof that someone else is in the house, or even on the property...until he goes to get his cell phone from his car. He then sees that someone has trashed his car. Further torment and exploration reveals that they are not being terrorized by one person, but three - two women, one man, all wearing frightening masks.
"The Strangers" continues the feelings and emotions presented in "Funny Games," while remaining its own separate entity. It isn't a sequel or a follow-up to Haneke's work, nor is it related to it in any way beyond a central theme of people terrorized at home. A major difference between the two films is that, at times, "The Strangers" allows you some reprieve from the tension, but not much, where as "Funny Games" kicks off and never lets up until the credits roll. Another is that Haneke's film is almost bereft of music, with the exception of some that takes place in the story space, where as in Bertino's film, we have digetic music, as well as a score proved by tomandandy, who provided score for Alexandre Aja's remake of "The Hills Have Eyes." It's almost impossible to say if "The Strangers" would have benefited from a lack of score, but the score does work, creating very effective mood music.
I have very few problems with this film, which isn't perfect, but it's one of those films that you know could be tightened up, but not sure where and what to improve. Or, maybe it doesn't need improvement. Remember, this is a debut film. Debut films, even from masters of filmmaking, are ripe with flaws. The flaws in this film are few. This film is truly scary from beginning to end, with a final jolt that will leave you in a state of true disbelief. The film has been left wide open for a sequel, but a sequel would more than likely degrade what Bertino has created, rather than improve upon it. To me, this is a stand alone film that leaves you with no hint of the motivations of the three killers or their identity. Their faces are not completely revealed. You don't even get one of their names. This film is riddled with a mystery that allows it to excel over your standard horror film. The exposition from the inevitable sequel will only take away from the magic of this film. Then again, I could be wrong. Perhaps Bertino will create a sequek that will be just as satisfying as this, his first voyage onto the big screen.
But, my true hope is that he moves onto different territory and crafts a collection of horror films that will allow him to be amongst the brethren of horror greats. Maybe he could even surpass them.
Bryan Bertino is a filmmaker to watch. "The Strangers" is a film that will scare the living hell out of you. Don't wait for DVD, see this in the theaters. You will be spellbound from the beginning of the film and beyond the drive home. This is the best horror film of not only the summer, but the year thus far.
