The Strangers

THE STRANGERS (2008) - May 31, 2008
An effective though highly flawed horror film about a couple who go to a country home and are terrorized by a trio of masked invaders. The film does a really good job of maintaining a fairly suspenseful vibe, and uses silence to great effect. The shaky-cam direction does get a bit tiresome, and the drab, yellowish cinematography doesn't help either. The film's biggest issue are the three bad guys, who appear to know that they're horror movie villains ans and act accordingly; they pop up and appear sinister and then disappear in ways that are entirely dictated by the film's direction, and which lack any sort of logic. This might have worked better in another film, but the gritty, fairly realistic tone is at odds with the fun-house theatricality of the three bad guys. The film was essentially entertaining throughout, and it certainly didn't overstay its welcome, but given the premise it should have been so much better. **1/2