"The Strangers" - Home invasion horror suspiciously similar to "Them"

Necronomicon

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482606/

Just don't say that to the folks over on IMDB, or it'll be fought to the death from fans of this new American horror featuring Liv Tyler. It follows Tyler and her boyfriend being terrorized by three masked assailants in their isolated holiday home.

I saw a trailer for it last night before Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Immediately I started to think of "Them", the French movie about a young couple being terrorized in their own home.

I went onto IMDB when I got home, and apparently I wasn't alone in seeing the comparison. Apparently The Strangers was actually written in 2004 if you believe those claiming that the identical nature of the movies is a coincidence.

Now I'm sure "Them" wasn't the first ever home-invasion movie. But like the French horror flick, "The Strangers" claims to be based on true events and in the trailer something is revealed that was kept as a twist in "Them" -

that the invaders are kids

.

Anyway, I digress. The trailer looks interesting enough, and if it's as good as Them then it'll certainly be worth a watch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCU0k_jbCUo

edit: Actually the part of the trailer at 0.54 seconds got a bit of a laugh from the audience, the masked guy looks much more goofy on a big screen

It was actually written in 2004, I actually read a very early draft and thinking how good it could be if done properly. The film is getting some very positive feedback so hopefully it won't disappoint.

kryogen

actually looks good, seriously similar to Ils/Them.....but i will be looking forward to it all the same

TerrorFirmer

Saw a trailer last night at Doomsday, was extremely unimpressed.

Necronomicon

TerrorFirmer wrote: »

Saw a trailer last night at Doomsday, was extremely unimpressed.

Off-topic, but is Doomsday any good? I remember thinking it looked promising for the first few minutes of the trailer, but then my interest took a dive for the last couple of minutes.

I do like Neil Marshell though.

TerrorFirmer

This is what I said over in the reviews forum. To be honest while I was OK with the idea of the storyline before I went to go and see it, the impressive strength of the general opening of the film sort of convinced me that it was a poor cross of genres and would have been far better off as a zombie/plague/type film.

Well, bit of a mixed bag this one. Firstly, and very surprisingly, it's the first time I've seen a movie sold out hours before it actually screened here in Galway, I didn't think the hype surrounding this movie was even really existent let alone big, but there you go. So I went to my local cinema, where in contrast, the screen was almost empty.

Anyway, onto the film itself. It's good; more accurately, the first 20 minutes are excellent but it's a downward slope from there and faces a drastic shift in storyline and direction. Now, in fairness, nothing unexpected - I've seen the trailer, and it does accurately portray what type of movie it is. But having sat through the initial setup for the movie that chronicles the deadly plague, government lock down, people dying grotesquely of said plague, and so on.... very reminiscent of 28 Weeks Later, I suddenly found myself wishing that the film didn't diverge into what it did. Still a good film, very much like Mad Max in spots and with some excellent action scenes, most notably a brilliant and lengthy car chase and the established, suitably gloomy, accompanying apocalyptic feel is excellent. But ultimately the whole thing is borderline between failed potential and simply an enjoyable film.

Definitely worth a look, and equally is certainly an enjoyable film, but you can't help feel that it could have been something far different, and perhaps far greater.

6/10

yayamark

Jesus Christ :eek::eek:

I saw this film in spain last week with, had a head set with english been spoken in.

This film scared the ****ing bejus out of me. Its 3.15 and i just watched the trailer and now i wont sleep at all.

Havent been as scared at a movie in a long while, good mixture of suspense, linappropriate oud music, jumping out of your seat and watching thru your hands :eek::eek::eek::eek::eek::o:o.

Herself wont go to a horror with me again :rolleyes:

shoefloozy

Does anybody know when the movie 'The Strangers' is released on DVD in Ireland? I didn't get to see it @ the cinema and am a huge Horror fan. I have been told that this is a must see!

niallon

I didn't see what the big deal with Ils was to be honest, neat little twist but devoid of suspense and apart from a great ending it left me a little cheated. I look forward to The Strangers, if anything, cheap thrills like this generally deliver on the scares.

doonothing

I really liked it.
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