People are pretty divided on whether they like this film or not. I thought it was really well shot even if its style made the true to life elements of its ending seem out of place. But in a sea of really awful remakes and direct to dvd garbage I was just glad for a little honest suspense. Is this itself a remake of Funny Games US? Not really, at least not anymore than any home invasion scenario film is. But I do think, after watching and rewatching it, that The Strangers does more than try to tack on a socially relevant ending to make up for the guilt of being little more than a better than average (by current standard anyway) horror effort. First the performances are there to support the idea that these are people not just character types being terrorized. Good performances from Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman definitely elevate the written material. Second the horror film conventions are awfully effective here for many of us who thought we were long lost on any attempt to scare us with them. Finally the thrills we feel in the film are nicely balanced against the complete indifference of the masked strangers. The film reveals to us that ultimately it doesn’t matter who these masked people are just that they are and that as a society we have no real way to physically protect ourselves from them.
No commentary here which is kind of a drag considering how well made this film is. Included are rated and unrated versions of the film, deleted scenes and a short featurette The Elements of Terror.
I wasn't particularly impressed with this film, although there were points at which I smiled and nodded in approval. Not that I'm a professional filmmaker but it seems to me that the suspense was kind of ruined when they started with the jump scares. I mean, they were few and far between, but they just reminded me that when writers and directors are at a loss they resort to pretty much the same old tactics. Jump scares, while effective, are a cheap way to startle the viewer.
I still stand by my decision that the made for tv version of Ju-on was the best at building suspense and removing the comfort blanket from the viewer. Sure there were god awful effects in a few shots, but the movie made up for it by being artfully shot and clever. The Strangers however was not impressive to me save for a few scenes. I would probably recommend people rent this movie rather than buy it as it's not good enough to warrant repeat viewings.