May 30, 2008
Movie review: "The Strangers"
By Stan Dyer
The trailers piqued my interest in this movie, but after reading what other people had to say about it, I was not so sure. Yet, considering I spent the past few weeks with superheroes, cartoon heroes and action heroes, it was time for a change. This movie fit the bill. If you choose to see this movie, it is important to remember that it is based on a true story and that it could happen to you.
As the movie begins, the audience is informed that 1.4 million violent crimes occur in the United States each year and that this movie is based on actual events taking place February 5, 2005. Kristen McKay and James Hoyt are a couple who have been together long enough to be considering tying the eternal knot. James is all for the idea, has purchased a ring and arranged for a secluded, romantic getaway at a family house in the woods. Kristen, on the other hand, is not so sure and has apparently rejected his offer. Nonetheless, the couple take their strained relationship to the cabin despite the frosty build-up between them.
At the cabin, James phones his friend Mike to come pick him up in the morning due to the unforeseen change in plans. Meanwhile, James and Kristen do their best to work through the awkward situation and are just about to explore some extra-marital "hanky panky" when there is a knock at the door. It is 4:00 a.m.
James and Kristen open the door to find a young woman standing there who asks, "His Tamara home?" They inform the woman that no one named Tamara lives in the house, and she departs. James and Kristen find the occurrence unusual, but make nothing of it. What ensues and takes up the rest of the movie is a cat-and-mouse game between the young couple and a threesome of the criminally insane who have nothing better to do than to harass and victimize people they never met.
There are only eight actors in this entire film, but none of them gets as much screen time as Liv Tyler. This movie is the Liv Tyler show. She is in almost every scene and most of the action centers around her. If you like Liv Tyler, you will like this movie.
The director does a nice job of beginning the movie and ending it with virtually the same scene. He also uses most of the shock "tricks" customary of this type of film. It is not a particularly great movie, but it is still good and pretty much well done.
Personally, I liked the movie and I give it an "A-". It could be better, but Liv Tyler is actually pretty good at this genre. I still think she should have had the foresight to put her shoes on instead of running around the yard, in the barn, and through the house in her bare feet throughout the movie. I feel sorry for the other actors who got little screen time, or hid behind masks the entire movie. Even at the end when the masked criminals take off their masks, the audience does not see their faces. The important thing to take away from this movie is not how it rates with others of the genre, but, rather, its message about how safe we feel in our day to day lives and how complacent we can become.
Title: The Strangers
Director: Bryan Bertino
Genre: Thriller, Rating: R, Run time: 90 minutes
Cast: Liv Tyler as Kristen McKay and Scott Speedman as James Hoyt. Those are the only two actors in the movie with any significant roles.