HOLLYWOOD—The 2008 film “The Strangers” directed and written by Bryan Bertino was something special. It did something that until this day I constantly remind people what horror is supposed to do: rely on suspense. It was an unnerving tale about a couple, who encounter a trio of ‘strangers’ wearing masks who terrorize them.
The success of that flick spawned a dreadful 2018 sequel, and we’re now in the midst of a new trilogy that feels like a rebirth of the franchise, but to be honest, I’m not fully sure. With that said, “The Strangers: Chapter 1” was not fantastic; it just felt like a long movie where nothing really happened, and when things started to happen the movie was over. Not to mention, some of the antics by our protagonists just makes you scratch your head and yell and scream at the screen.
“The Strangers: Chapter 2” is upon us, but the question is whether it’s better than its predecessor. I have to argue it actually is, but does it narratively give you again fantastic? No, not really, but I found myself a bit more invested in this entry because we get a bit of backstory.
What backstory? The unmasking of one of the ‘The Strangers’ in particular ‘Pin-Up Girl.’ We get a slice of that history, in small flashbacks, but no actual clue, but it’s kind of is if you pay attention. Director Renny Harlin does a solid job focusing the camera on potential suspects.
As the audience you have no idea, who in this small town of Venus, Oregon is culpable or can be trusted. Honestly, everyone is strange, everyone seems to be hiding a secret, and you do suspect everyone. The only person you do immediately connect to is our protagonist Maya (Madelaine Petsch), who survives that brutal stabbing, but her fiancé, not so much as we see in flashbacks as she deals with her trauma.
The sequel wakes up with Maya recovering in a hospital, and people in town speculate about what has unfolded. Looks like someone discovers that Maya is still alive and our vicious trio haunts the hospital hoping to take out Maya. Dare I say, “The Strangers: Chapter 2” is simply put, a long-chase scene. I didn’t have a problem with it because you don’t see chase scenes anymore in horror, and to have an elongated chase sequence was fun to watch. Would Maya crumble or would she triumph and outlast her tormentors? That is the journey the audience takes with the protagonist.
The violence is not over the top, there is a VERY BAD, CGI or AI animal that just looks terrible, but overall, I found myself entertained with this horror/thriller that clocks in under 90 mins. Better than its predecessor, but not by a ton, but if you can find a way to edge out a predecessor that not many enjoyed you have done something well.
