The tagline for this movie is ‘they don’t need a reason’, and it certainly feels like this extends to the script, rationale, characters and quality. The first two strangers movies are fairly decent slashers and rather unnerving, as they portray a horror of random home invasion. The ‘strangers’ now seem to possess nigh-supernatural powers, seemingly capable of feats of teleportation, invisibility, invulnerability, and a lot of implausibility. There is no longer any suspense or tension, simply ongoing unpleasantness, both from the unlikable leads and the eventual torture elements. Why this is called ‘chapter 1’ was initially baffling, as I couldn’t tell if this was supposed to be a prequel, a reboot, a remake or a rebootquel, but the answer becomes evident that this is because this is an incomplete film, apparently supposed to be a self-contained trilogy. As it stands, it is a frustrating mess without any of the qualities that made the first films standout, and maybe the sequels will shed some light as to why this opening act is so terrible.
The Strangers: Chapter One (2024)