The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a very loyal remake of the 2008 horror thriller film which goes by the same name. Almost every single principal scene from the original is mirrored in this rendition, which is not necessarily a bad thing since the original version was quite the thrill seeker. But for those who have watched the previous parts, the entire thing loses a lot of its starch. The points where the jump scares are used become predictable. And so do the actions that are supposed to be shocking. All in all, if you have not been following this story, then fresh levels.
When is it acceptable to attempt a reboot? A few other films, such as Wrong Turn and Cabin Fever, for example, were remade just a handful of years after the release of the original film. In case of Wrong Turn, there was a good amount of distance with the original that made the movie seem interesting and new. Cabin Fever, was not so successful in establishing a proper distance with the original. In the case of the forthcoming film See No Evil, released internationally before being given the English remake treatment, it has become the norm to give foreign films English remakes. I have never been one to go for the American versions instead of the original movies from other countries. (Except for The Ring, of course).
Remaking a film has been deemed a risk worth taking as this allows the film makers to believe that it is only a matter of time before the people become sick and tired with the old version.
Most of the successful ones which included The Thing, The Fly, The Blob, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers were remakes created in an entirely different age to attract a different audience. The technology from the 1950s to the 1980s was pretty huge, what’s more, an R-rating enabled some gruesome fun which the first audience was not subjected to. None of that seems to be in play with The Strangers: Chapter 1.
As far as The Strangers: Chapter 1 is concerned, he pretty much reproduces the original script which prevents from feeling like a different movie, albeit a better looking one sans Liv Tyler. Some viewers may have noticed the “Chapter 1” inscribed on this title. The final decision regarding this film will depend on how the rest off this Chapter 2 which will be released later this year and Chapter 3 which will be released next year will unfold. I mean, if we have the same film as The Strangers but we get a much more complete story across the next two films. I think this entire plan of making a very strong rebirth will go smoothly. Slightly remix the first chapter and then a significant amount of fresh content into the second and the third.
A couple is traveling across the country for an interview that the woman wants to attend in Portland and it can be considered romantically pleasing where one assumes to pop the question to the other by which it has not been done before and it is their anniversary. Jeff and Maya are driving, Marvin appears irritated and jealous that Jeff hasn’t proposed yet and Maya is hoping if she takes the job keyword “if” things will turn out different as she will drag Jeff along. The couple drives off the interstate towards the small rural fictional town of Venus in Oregon due to almost a collision. At a diner somewhere near the highway, they realize that their place is full of rude and drunk locals (Trope alert#1!) who seem unfriendly and hostile to newcomers. The patrons of the roadside diner hammer the couple with questions about their way, which makes it more difficult to tell.
When Jeff’s car mysteriously failed to start (cue trope #2!), a sharper older man approached them, almost scaring them, before saying that he can take their BMW for repairs overnight. The parts are located at Eugene so it would be an all-day job to have the car fixed. The gregarious waitress has insight on a cabin around the town that is available for rent so that while he is gone, they can have a cabin to stay. (This unfortunately takes away their possibility of driving off…)
They reach a beautifully well-decorated hunting cabin. The couple prepares themselves for a little romance when a loud bang intrudes the door and a stranger interrupts. A boyish looking lady sought in a husky voice, “Is Tamara There?” No, why would she come to that location? (This is a straight forward replica of the original film). Now Jeff suddenly remembers that he forgot his inhaler and requests the homeowner’s motorcycle to ride back into town. Not sure if that is a legal thing to do, but then desperation drives Jeff to all sorts of madness.
While Jeff is away, the crazy woman comes back and knocks the door like mad. Maya does not open the door, yet the question keeps coming. “Is Tamara there?” Also, there is some evidence too that suggests, someone else is perhaps in the house with Maya. Maya bumps into a woman’s masked figure, which causes her to panic and run upstairs to the upstairs closet. After some seconds, the door opens, and… is Jeff. (Trope Alert #3!)
The indecent however is not a joke. The invasion has taken place, where the two are made to play a game of home invasion cat and mouse. There appeared a man entitled Scarecrow, a bulky ax in hand, and the intimidation increases to deduction. The invaders have arrived. No more lurking: these Strangers are here to kill the guests. But for what purpose?
An accomplished action filmmaker with a wide experience in the horror genre, Renny Harlin (Die Hard, Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea), has directed A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Child, Exorcist the Beginning and Devil’s Pass. It is acknowledged that Renny Harlin is a filmmaker lacking the subtlety and principal originality; his action scenes may be striking, but they are always predictable.
These two have tremendous synergy on screen. Petsch and Brown are adorable as a couple. They, too, make bad choices. Rule number one if you find yourself in a remote cabin in the woods: ‘You’ll receive strong advice to fasten all the bolts. Each of them, all of them!’ There are no circumstances in which doors should not be locked. Even if the home invaders decided to shatter the glass, at least you would know they had entered the residence. Let me point out that there is a superb window smashing jump scare in this film. Third rule: Ignore the inhaler! One can survive a single dose for one day.
This is not to claim that the viewer will not have a good time watching the film either. It’s rather entertaining. You laugh at the motion picture content and wince at ensuing action. That being said, there is an absolutely gruesome knife scene which I can say with certainty will be nominated for something purely evil for the And it wasn’t just a scene fans of the film winced when it occasionally occurred. You will understand everything when you see it.
The very first The Strangers is without a doubt one of the scariest films in the last twenty years, it has been around for a long time. It reached the position of the 131st on our Men’s top 500 horror films of all time. So, every person who agrees with us knows that the idea of a reboot has risks. Still, this movie has to be regarded in the light of the other two films of the set. This has the same great moments, same great scenes from the first film, only this time, the couple seems to genuinely love each other. The primary plot had a theme of the whole couple’s love being dead and them literally staring in at death engulfed in a mask which was figuratively forcing their eyes to really open. I actually prefer Jeff and Maya instead of Kristen and James, their antecedents.
Because Harlin shot all three of these chapters at once, we will not have to wait long to see what else this story has to offer us. I am looking forward to those films more than this one because the continuation of the narrative that was offered here will be expanded. Perhaps a tiny bit of revenge? How much of the society can one really rely on? Who is involved in covering up the murder? Oregonians are the last people to trust! (The movie, by the way, was made in Slovakia which does the Pacific Northwest rather well, it seems.)
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a movie produced by Lionsgate which is said to have been circulated widely in the USA. One of the strongest R ratings has been granted thanks to an estimated strong violence and high level of intensity. To be honest, there is not very much killing in this movie; however, it does not hold back with violence, and there is a LOT of it!
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