The Strangers: Chapter 1 Review

Few things feel scarier than a home invasion. A place where you’re supposed to be safe coming under attack for reasons behind your comprehension. That terrifying concept formed the basis of the original Strangers in 2008, and now it hopes to kick off a whole new trilogy with The Strangers: Chapter 1. The new movie, directed by Renny Harlin, opens with a chilling statistic about how many violent crimes are committed in the United States every year, and claims that the one we’re about to watch is one of the most brutal.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 is the third film in the horror/slasher franchise directed by Renny Harlin. The film follows a young couple who move to the Pacific Northwest to start a new life. However, their new life gets off to a terrifying start when a broken-down vehicle forces them to stay at a remote vacation home, leaving them to be stalked relentlessly by three masked murderers. 

Pros

• There are some truly chilling and thrilling moments
• Madelaine Petsch is fantastic, as is the rest of the cast

Cons

• The film doesn’t offer anything new for those familiar with The Stranger
• Chapter 1 doesn’t truly stand on its own
• It’s more of a gateway to what will hopefully be more exciting storytelling

I’d argue that isn’t quite true, that The Strangers: Chapter 1 fancies itself more daring than it truly is, but I would also be lying if I said I didn’t find myself caught up in the thrills. This movie doesn’t offer anything new to the franchise, aside from an ending that promises more to come. Harlin and his team have already completed two additional chapters, set to be released throughout the rest of the year. It’s those future installments that intrigue me most at this point, mostly because I’m curious to see how The Strangers trilogy evolves.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 Is More Of The Same Plot-Wise

Much like how the first movie centered on a couple staying at a vacation home, The Strangers: Chapter 1 picks up with new characters Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), a young couple nearing a crossroads in their relationship. When their car breaks down in the middle of a tiny, creepy town, they’re forced to stay one night at the local AirBnB, something Maya embraces with open arms while Ryan grumbles about it. Their romantic evening is interrupted by a mysterious figure coming to their door to ask the now-infamous question: “Is Tamara home?” And so the horror begins.

Throughout the evening, Maya and Ryan are stalked and hunted by three masked strangers, whose motivations are unclear. Nevertheless, they are definitely determined to see the couple dead. The premise allows for plenty of jump scares, and Harlin makes the most of each and every one, playing with our expectations and creating an unsettling atmosphere. What makes it less suspenseful, though, is the realization that The Strangers: Chapter 1 follows many of the same plot beats as the original movie.

From Ryan leaving Maya alone early on, which leads to the initial threatening moves from the strangers, to the couple’s frantic escape attempt later, the plots feel eerily similar, almost to the point where Chapter 1 could play as a remake of The Strangers, despite what the creative team says. As someone who isn’t very familiar with the original movie, this didn’t faze me quite as much, but fans looking for something new might find themselves frustrated with the lack of originality.

The Strangers: Chapter 1’s Cast Fully Commits

Madelaine Petsch is a standout

It speaks to the strength of the performers behind the titular villains that their faces are never shown, yet they manage to be genuinely horrifying and unsettling. The pronounced nature of their movements, whether it be in the way one drops a knife or how two press their foreheads together, makes their actions almost theatrical, both entrancing and disturbing to watch. Whenever one stranger came on screen during my screening, a ripple of tension spread across the theater, which only enhanced the overall experience.

Coming off of Riverdale, Petsch makes an excellent scream queen. She’s forced to go to some dark places when it comes to evading her potential killers, and Petsch commits to every scream, lip quiver, and desperate action. As a character, Maya doesn’t have the most depth, but she is someone we can root for. Gutierrez’s Ryan is a different story; he comes across as more unsympathetic for a few reasons, though he is far from the worst onscreen boyfriend to ever exist. Nevertheless, Gutierrez is solid in the role.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 Lacks Real Bite

But the future of the franchise holds promise

Ultimately, though, for all its posturing about revealing one of the worst acts of violence a person can comprehend, The Strangers: Chapter 1 can’t live up to those expectations. It plays out exactly how one expects a typical slasher to go, complete with frustrating mistakes made by the protagonists and a repetitive plot where the characters fall into a cat-and-mouse chase.

Harlin stages everything with enough skill that there are still some thrills and twists to be had, and I, as someone who admittedly jumps very easily, was on the edge of my seat at times. At the same time, I was left underwhelmed by the final moments thanks to its lack of surprise.

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The Strangers True Story: Real-Life Crimes That Inspired The Horror Movie

The terrifying 2008 home invasion horror film The Strangers was inspired by real-life violent crimes, including some brutal and notorious murders.

However, the film’s conclusion is not the end of the story. The Strangers: Chapter 1 ends with a cliffhanger that paves the way for Chapter 2, and that’s where the trilogy will really get the chance to take off. The ending suggests the next movie can’t be more of the same. It might be a little frustrating that Chapter 1 doesn’t do much more to establish itself as an original entity, but for newcomers to the franchise, there are enough chilling moments to ignite interest in what comes next. Here’s hoping the rest of this trilogy can justify its existence.