“The Strangers: Chapter 1” (2024) is for anyone who saw “The Strangers” (2008) and thought, “I’d like to see this movie, but wish the actors were a little less famous.” On the third day of their cross-country road trip and fifth anniversary, Maya Lucas (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) stop in Venus, Oregon and decide to stay at an Airbnb after receiving a mixed reception at Carol’s Diner. Their quiet, romantic getaway soon gets interrupted with knocks on the door from someone asking for Tamara. The evening becomes more unsettling as three masked strangers reveal themselves and are not just harmless pranksters: Scarecrow (Matus Lajcak), Dollface (Olivia Kreutzova) and Pin-Up Girl (Letizia Fabbri). Will the couple survive the night unharmed? Not even if there were no killers.
I saw the original at the time of its release, and though the lore is unavailable now, it was allegedly a remake of a French film called “Ils” (2006), which translates into “Them,” which is more frightening…obviously, and I highly recommend if you enjoy the premise of this franchise. Both films are allegedly based on real life stories, but in the case of “The Strangers,” inspired would probably be a more appropriate word and based is generous if the Manson family’s murders are the foundation for the film. Original director and writer Bryan Bertino claimed that it was based on break-ins in his neighborhood as a child. Others have referenced an unsolved series of murders in 1981 Keddie cabin murders, which Bertino never mentioned. The second sequel, “The Strangers: Prey at Night” (2018), is a brief blip that time and the franchise have erased because it was more standard horror fare.
Maya and Jeff are a nice enough couple. They love each other but are uncertain about the next stage in their relationship. Maya’s profession defines her, and Jeff is a city guy with asthma so expect a lot of inhaler related suspense. These are the sole characteristics that define them along with their attractiveness and attraction to each other. Jeff is a bit sullen and suspicious of his environment whereas Maya is the cheery optimist who lets down her easy-going façade once alone and proves herself to be an anxious, jittery mess who believes that she is needlessly scaring herself when the noises can be rationalized away. They are friendly and outgoing but feel less like individuals than cynical place holders for the next horror movie money grab. If other actors replaced them midway in the middle of the movie, would anyone notice? Petsch and Gutierrez do a fine job, but they are not given much to do, and their characters should be wearing red shirts. There are a couple of scenes where they could have emerged unscathed. The killers leave the keys in their still running vehicle, but Ryan decides to look for Maya instead of driving away and getting help. Also one hideaway is filled with rats and is uncomfortably cramped, but essentially killer proof. While Maya and Ryan make understandable choices, they are not smart ones.
“The Strangers: Chapter 1” begins with a murder of an out of towner so can the film rewind and start with his story instead or whoever the actual first victim is? Maybe it is taking the title too literally, but the film delivers nothing new about these psychopaths and does not feel like a commencement. There is no killer conference discussing their mission statement or rehearsal to practice their smooth moves of disappearing into the darkness if they are threatened. They almost feel supernatural in the way that they synchronize their moves and just know where their victims are. The title implies that the film is depicting the killers’ origin story, but they appear to be seasoned pros at pacing themselves when terrorizing the unsuspecting couple.
Because this iteration is a reboot trilogy, we are supposed to forget the slashers’ line from the original, “It’ll be easier the next time.” That line gets revisited except in the mouths of the victims who are trying to steel themselves into murderers so they can effectively defend themselves. In many ways, this franchise is about a couple proving whether they have the Darwinian skills to survive individually and as a couple. The masked evildoers are comparatively a seamless, unified unit, crazy from jump, and the couple’s benchmark to survive. By the time the two realize that they truly love each other and are willing to protect each other, it is too late, and the morale of the story is to appreciate what you have and stop dilly dallying because life is passing you by literally.
Part of the charm of “The Strangers” franchise is the sense of doom and randomness in the selection of victims although “The Strangers: Chapter 1” does its best to play with certain tropes. Is this couple targeted because they are not married, secular, wealthier, city people, standoffish, childless, strangers? The psycho killers love to interrupt couples before they have sex. Unfortunately the film is over relying on the modus operandi and anchoring it as the most brutal violent crime. It is not even the most brutal act on film to date. That distinction would not belong to an American film. Being disturbing and unsettling are fine markers, but brutal is a high mark that even television series easily surpass daily.
Geena Davis’ ex, Finnish director Renny Harlin, is helming the reboot trilogy and filmed the second installment concurrently. Harlin is the man who gave us “Cutthroat Island” (1995), “The Long Kiss Goodnight” (1996), “Deep Blue Sea” (1999) and “Devil’s Pass” (2013) so he should not be blamed for this film’s flaws. He does his best with what he is given, but he is basically microwaving leftovers which probably included fish. In a couple of scenes, which Petsch pitched and feels “Psycho” inspired, Harlin does some neat blocking work where Scarecrow is right behind Maya, and she does not notice. It is nice work, but more speaks to Maya’s obliviousness than instilling any terror in the audience. There is a scene where Maya plays the piano and later one of the killers continues the song. It is eerie and adds to the complementary foils theme, but never goes beyond superficial frisson.
“The Strangers: Chapter 1” is effective as an elaborate commercial for Ally Bank or the couple’s car, but as a commercial creative endeavor, lacks any unique qualities. Harlin reassures us (or is it a threat) that the film is really “one 4.5-hour movie,” i.e. one of the longest horror movies ever made. Yikes, the blessed brief runtime of ninety-one minutes, which includes one post-credit scene teasing the beginning of the second, still felt too long. It would have been better to re-release the original and continue from the end than restart the whole affair. Writers Alan R. Chen and Alan Freedland should have stuck to writing for television series. The only compliment that the Alans deserve: at least it is not as bad as the latest “Exorcist” movie or the “Halloween” trilogy. The only thing frightening about “The Strangers: Chapter 1” is that there are more films to come.
Side note: after the credits rolled, a rat came running up the stairs. I felt very special that one of the stars of the movie made a special appearance.
