THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1
Starring: Madelaine Petsch and Gabriel Basso
Director: Renny Harlin
NICK
When I heard The Strangers was getting a reboot trilogy, I was curious whether they were going to stretch the original story into three films or supply something wholly new. The answer is both. The Strangers: Chapter 1 is basically a remake of the original film without taking many liberties. Where the original succeeded on its gritty, indie vibes, this version is a glossy, CW-filtered take that fails to elevate the material. However, it sets up an interesting path forward that could lead the franchise into uncharted territory. So, although Chapter 1 disappoints, it did enough to bring me back for the follow-up.
PAIGE
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a poor man’s attempt to reinvent the original 2008 film, being pretty much a copy-and-paste remake that brings nothing new to the table. Its lead characters, played by Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez, have zero chemistry, leaving its audience to not care whether they live or die. In addition, there isn't any suspense, dread, or atmosphere in the movie, simply just being filled with tons of cheap jump scares. Even so, I'll try to stay open-minded about Chapter 2 and 3 if only for the mere fact that I still like home invasion movies.
KATIE
The Strangers: Chapter 1 was more disappointing than I feared. The film is essentially a remake of the 2008 indie hit with a twist, but it doesn’t add anything interesting or worthwhile, leaving me questioning why its existence was necessary. There’s no bite or nastiness to the film, it's surprisingly tame, and it looks overly artificial, lacking the charming grittiness of the original. It doesn’t help that the protagonists have zero chemistry, and there is no sense of suspense, just predictable attempts at jump-scares. I’m not sure what to expect for the rest of the trilogy, but I’m not optimistic.
