Skip to main content

The Strangers: Prey at Night

The Strangers: Prey at Night is the follow up to the 2008 film The Strangers. The premise is pretty much the same except it's at a mobile home park and it's a family of four.

Bryan Bertino did the original and wrote this follow up's screenplay. The dialogue and structure of the film is very 80s horror and throws in a lot of tropes that audiences have come to expect. It's formulaic and predictable if you're an adult. This film is rated R but for some reason, the kills that were used throughout the film were generally muted. Sure there's blood but I left the theater thinking that I saw a PG-13 film.

Johannes Roberts has improved since doing 47 meters down. Don't ask me why that film got a sequel. This man loves his horror films and it shows. There are some camera and editing problems but nothing too major. He used the zoom function of the camera so much in the film. There are parts where I could see intent on how he chose the shot and then others seem random. Randomness is a theme to the film so I suppose there's a connection there.

I wish there was more Christina Hendricks, not just because she was in one of my favorite movies of all time, Drive, but because she can act really well and I felt she was just briefly in the film even though she's credited first.

Daughter of Christina Hendricks was the wonderful Bailee Madison who you'll recognize from the television show Good Witch or The Fosters. I believe, maybe foolishly, but I believe that there was intent on how Kinsey emoted at the beginning of the film. I suppose I should say lack thereof. There is a bigger character arc if at the beginning there are little expressions on an actress's face so that when there's horror there's a drastic change in how the audience sees her. She nails the horror queen, Laurie Strode, scream, and whimpering.

The bigger problems with the acting come from the two males in the film. They were stereotypic with underdeveloped characters and poorly written excuses to separate the family from each other. The choices they make are a roller coaster of fickleness.

I disagree with some of the critics on just how bad of a film most believe it was. It's not that bad. Sure the final scenes are an eye roller and the first ten minutes aren't all that interesting, but I enjoyed the hunt and horror the rest of the film provided. I didn't like it as much as the first but I think Bailee Madison carried the film pretty well.

Result: C (The Ritual is a better choice and you don't have to leave home to watch that horror film.)


Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Scary Movie (2026)

Scary Movie is directed by Michael Tiddes , known for A Haunted House and Naked , and while he has shown a knack for broad parody comedy in the past, this film never quite finds its rhythm. Much of the blame falls on the screenplay by Rick Alvarez , which jumps rapidly from gag to gag without establishing enough momentum for many of the jokes to land. The movie constantly feels like it is searching for its next laugh rather than confidently building toward one, resulting in a scattered experience that struggles to maintain energy. Anna Faris , known for The House Bunny and the original Scary Movie series, returns as Cindy and slips back into the role with ease. Her performance feels very much in line with her previous appearances, capturing the same exaggerated innocence and comedic timing that made the character memorable in the first place. Even when the material isn't particularly strong, Faris remains committed and helps carry the film through some of its weaker stretches....
Post a Comment
Read more

Masters of the Universe (2026)

Masters of the Universe is directed by Travis Knight , known for Kubo and the Two Strings and Bumblebee , and while the film is competently made, it often struggles with execution. The action sequences look impressive on the surface, but many of the larger one vs. many fights suffer from a common problem where enemies appear to stand around waiting their turn to attack. The script, written by Aaron Nee and Adam Nee , known for The Lost City , takes the story in a direction that feels at odds with what many audiences might expect from a Masters of the Universe adaptation. Rather than embracing the larger than life heroic fantasy at the center of the franchise, the film spends much of its time deconstructing its protagonist in ways that don't always serve the story. Nicholas Galitzine , known for The Idea of You and Red, White & Royal Blue , plays He-Man and does what he can with the material. The character is written in a way that often undermines the masculinity associate...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Furious (2026)

The Furious is directed by Kenji Tanigaki , a filmmaker and action coordinator known for his work on Snake Eyes and a longtime veteran of the stunt world. A fun piece of trivia is that Tanigaki was one of the stunt doubles on Mortal Kombat: Annihilation , and his experience behind the camera is evident throughout the film. The action is relentless, the pacing rarely slows down, and the movie understands that tension comes from constantly forcing its characters into increasingly dangerous situations. From beginning to end, it feels like an action film designed by people who genuinely understand action filmmaking. Miao Xie anchors the film and delivers some phenomenal fight sequences. His athleticism and screen presence make every encounter believable, and the choreography allows him to showcase a wide range of techniques rather than relying on repetitive exchanges. The action scenes are impressive on their own, but they become even better when paired with his co-star. Joe Taslim , ...
Post a Comment
Read more