The Strangers is a 2008 horror movie starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman(also check out Gemma Ward in this movie as Dollface). At the beginning of the movie you are told that what you are about to see is based on true events etc. I did some research on this and found that it was inspired by something that happened to the film's director as a child. A stranger came to his home one night and asked for a person who did not reside there. Later, he would find out that this was a common tactic of some burglars that had been active in his town. It is also thought that the film is somewhat based on the Manson murders as well as the brutal unsolved "Keddie Cabin Murders" in California.

I'm sure you have all read the basics of this film including it's plot, but I will sum it up once more. It's about a couple who return to an isolated family home after attending a wedding. James, played by Speedman, proposed to Kristen, played by Tyler, and she turns him down because she is just not ready for marriage. As they are trying to relax and recuperate at home, they are interrupted by a knock at the door at 4AM. Curious, they open it to find a young woman who eerily asks, "is Tamara home?" James & Kristen find it quite odd but quickly shrug it off as James decides to leave to get Kristen a pack of cigarettes. Soon after his departure, the knocking begins again and the strangers start to terrorize Kristen. The activity stops for awhile upon James returning home and he almost doesn't believe the crazy things Kristen is telling him. However, he soon sees for himself.

So basically the movie is about a young couple who are being terrorized inside their own home by 3 strangers who enjoy this sick game. I find "The Strangers" completely scary because it could happen in real life. A home is supposed to be safe and provide shelter. We don't have an immortal Jason in a hockey mask that we can't kill; we have 3 twisted individuals who get a thrill off of random senseless violence. Anyone who watches the news now & then should know that similar crimes happen all the time. The strangers(2 women and 1 guy)all wear masks. Most people find masks very scary, me included. I don't know why but it seems to be common knowledge that a mask equals scary with most folks who I have talked to. While watching this movie, I consistently screamed and was startled to the point I was jumping from my seat, mainly because it provided one scare after another, it could not be predicted what would happen next.

This is the first horror movie that I have watched in awhile that actually did it's job; which is to scare me. Of course that is what I wanted, to be scared, that is why I go to see them and why I am a horror movie fan. Today it is hard and rare to find a good unique scary movie. It seems they all are getting very redundant. I guess it's hard to be original when it seems everything has "already been done." However, I can say that "The Strangers" met the criteria I was looking for. It kept my attention, was not predictable and made it hard for me to sleep peacefully for about 2 weeks.

Recommended: Yes

Movie Mood: Scary Movie
Viewing Method: Other
Film Completeness: Looked complete to me.
Worst Part of this Film: Nothing