Maya and her boyfriend Ryan are driving across the country so she can attend a job interview. When they stop off in a small town, their car breaks down and they’re forced to stay the night at an Air B&B in the surrounding woods. After dark they are menaced and brutalised by three masked strangers.
A reboot in the form of a prequel that could also be a remake, The Strangers: Chapter 1 is the first in a new trilogy of films set to follow the exploits of the three titular antagonists. Taking its lead from Leigh Janiak’s Fear Street Trilogy, the films have been shot back to back and are set for release in fairly quick succession. As the first instalment, Chapter 1 sets the scene and unfolds in an enjoyable if perfunctory way (it's very much a re-tread of the original 2008 film). The main issue is, it sticks too closely to the blueprint of the first film (hence it feeling like a remake), and when a number of moments from the original are replicated, they just don't muster the same impact.
Despite the sense of Déjà vu that permeates proceedings, Chapter 1 is still a well mounted chiller boasting committed performances from Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez, who as Maya and Ryan, are a very likeable couple. Down to earth and good humoured, they provide the film with a much-needed heart. When they come under attack, we root for them (even though the screenplay has them do pretty much everything wrong and exhibit little common sense) thanks largely to grounded and believable performances. As in the original, when the couple does finally make a stand, it backfires and ends in tragedy. And for anyone who has seen the original (this is a particularly cruel, nerve-shredding moment), here it fails to make an impact because we know it’s coming.
Harlin’s approach is polished, and if you're looking for a minimalist and brutal back-to-basics slasher, you've come to the right place. Known for his high-octane action flicks (Die Hard 2, Cutthroat Island, Cliffhanger etc.), he has command over the action orientated sequences, however (as evidenced in his direction of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master) there’s little subtlety. The strength of the 2008 film and its sequel was all the creeping tension and mounting dread, whereas here, while a few scenes undoubtedly crackle with tension, the pacing is uneven enough to allow tedium to set in. Harlin isn’t completely to blame though, as the screenplay by Alans Cohen and Freedland, offers no surprises, and not just because too much is replicated from the original (including the use of a Joanna Newsom song to conjure a brilliantly moody atmosphere). Tropes and clichés abound, especially in the depiction of the small town’s residents. Obviously, there is supposed to be a suggestion that some of the townspeople are the masked intruders, or that they are at least in on it, but it all just feels so obvious. Right down to the silence the couple are met with when they enter a local diner. They discover their car has broken down and are forced to stay the night while a shady mechanic waits for the required car parts to be delivered from a neighbouring town. While such moments have provided suspense and ambiguity in other titles, here it just feels tired and unnecessary. Certain moments are also too obviously sign-posted to make the desired impact.
Despite the sense of Déjà vu that permeates proceedings, Chapter 1 is still a well mounted chiller boasting committed performances from Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez, who as Maya and Ryan, are a very likeable couple. Down to earth and good humoured, they provide the film with a much-needed heart. When they come under attack, we root for them (even though the screenplay has them do pretty much everything wrong and exhibit little common sense) thanks largely to grounded and believable performances. As in the original, when the couple does finally make a stand, it backfires and ends in tragedy. And for anyone who has seen the original (this is a particularly cruel, nerve-shredding moment), here it fails to make an impact because we know it’s coming.
The atmosphere is enhanced with beautifully moody cinematography - those misty woods providing a suitably creepy backdrop - and a pulsing score to help ratchet tension. A particularly effective moment comes when Maya is hiding in the mist-shrouded forest and senses that someone is advancing closer to her. As she frantically spins around and glances in all directions, the camera mirrors her movements which creates a disorientating moment that prolongs the tension. The titular figures have an imposing presence and convey so much threat, malice and cunning just through body-language. Not to mention those creepy masks. Harlin frames them front and centre, but they still retain a sense of mystery and dread. The film is peppered with striking images of the antagonists, either standing stock still in the corner of a room, or emerging from the mists in the surrounding forest.
It should be interesting to see how the next instalments play out, when they are able to step out of the shadow of the 2008 film and forge their own identities. Chapter 1 at least leaves enough of an impact that you may find yourself looking forward to the follow-up, due to be released in October this year. It's a solid creeper, but because it sticks so closely to the original, one can't help but compare the two.
Spoiler alert: My hope for Chapter 2 is a hospital based slasher. It could be a fun and effective throwback to the likes of Halloween 2, and Cold Prey 2 (one of the most underrated slashers in recent memory).