2008 Woodie Awards
'The Strangers' provides scares, but not depth
Canze and Wisswell give film average rating
By: Brad Canze and Frank Wisswell
Issue date: 5/28/08 Section: Lifeline
At a brisk 76 minutes, "The Strangers" still manages to drag at times, but is an effective and well-constructed jump-fest
that plays its shock value for all it is worth. Those desperate for a scare in the sea of summer action flicks will likely be appeased. Just do not expect anything world-changing or high-brow from "The Strangers."
-Brad Canze
3 stars out of 5
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By Frank Wisswell
"The Strangers" will make you happy to go home to loud but harmless neighbors and noisy streets.
The film starts with Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman), a couple on their way back from a wedding, sharing a car ride to a summer cottage in a secluded area.
Kristen is crying and in a completely unexpected and uncharacteristic flashback scene, we see that Kristen has just turned down James's offer for marriage. Now, the couple are forced to spend one last awkward night together in the house, which James had jerryrigged for romance with rose petals, champagne and ice cream.
Luckily, they don't have to sit around being awkward for long as a polite knock on the door soon leads to something far more sinister.
Unlike most horror movies, "The Strangers" doesn't get the majority of its scares from a well-written plot or terrifying performances.
Tyler is forced to play a very complicated role in the first 20 minutes, unfortunately, she doesn't seem up to the task, as most of her acting comes off as too cold or almost robotic.
The Strangers are led by "The Man in the Mask" (just ask IMDB, I am not making this up), who should be sued by both John Carpenter and WWE superstar Kane for character infringement.
He's slow and stalking with a few exceptions and he even does the creepy "cock my head with a mask on" move that Michael Myers and Kane brought to the big screen and the wrestling ring respectively.
Australian model Gemma Ward is the only intruder who speaks in the movie, Dollface. She seems to capture their sense of disconnectedness with the violence around them, delivering all her lines as if she was on a cavalcade of prescription medications.
that plays its shock value for all it is worth. Those desperate for a scare in the sea of summer action flicks will likely be appeased. Just do not expect anything world-changing or high-brow from "The Strangers."
-Brad Canze
3 stars out of 5
-----------------------------------------------
By Frank Wisswell
"The Strangers" will make you happy to go home to loud but harmless neighbors and noisy streets.
The film starts with Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman), a couple on their way back from a wedding, sharing a car ride to a summer cottage in a secluded area.
Kristen is crying and in a completely unexpected and uncharacteristic flashback scene, we see that Kristen has just turned down James's offer for marriage. Now, the couple are forced to spend one last awkward night together in the house, which James had jerryrigged for romance with rose petals, champagne and ice cream.
Luckily, they don't have to sit around being awkward for long as a polite knock on the door soon leads to something far more sinister.
Unlike most horror movies, "The Strangers" doesn't get the majority of its scares from a well-written plot or terrifying performances.
Tyler is forced to play a very complicated role in the first 20 minutes, unfortunately, she doesn't seem up to the task, as most of her acting comes off as too cold or almost robotic.
The Strangers are led by "The Man in the Mask" (just ask IMDB, I am not making this up), who should be sued by both John Carpenter and WWE superstar Kane for character infringement.
He's slow and stalking with a few exceptions and he even does the creepy "cock my head with a mask on" move that Michael Myers and Kane brought to the big screen and the wrestling ring respectively.
Australian model Gemma Ward is the only intruder who speaks in the movie, Dollface. She seems to capture their sense of disconnectedness with the violence around them, delivering all her lines as if she was on a cavalcade of prescription medications.
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