The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018)
IMDb genre: Horror
Director: Johannes Roberts
Writer: Bryan Bertino & Ben Ketai
Starring: Christina Hendricks, Bailee Madison, Martin Henderson
IMDb plot summary: A family of four staying at al secluded mobile home park for the night are stalked and then hunted by three masked psychopaths.
I know a lot of people rave about the first installment but I was never a huge fan. Maybe I watched it after it was hyped up to me too much so it couldn't live up to those expectations. Regardless, the trailer for this one looked good so I gave it a go.
Unfortunately it was completely average and forgettable.
The actors really do try their hardest, I loved Bailee Madison in Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (and some of the terrible Christmas movies that she's been in) and she showed the same talent here.
The gore is also there, there's plenty of blood & a couple of really gross close-ups.
To be frank though what's not there is an interesting plot or any significant scares.
This movie felt like it wanted to be an 80's horror movie with the credits font & the music choices, plus a scene 'inspired by' (read ripped off from) Texas Chainsaw Massacre, which I know is 1974 but you get my drift. However, because it's not actually set in the 80's we instead have a very forced reason why they can't just use their phones & what feels like a rehash rather than nostalgia.
There's no real effort made for characterisation but there's also not enough deaths for it to be a mindless slasher so it sits awkwardly in the middle.
It's not very eloquent but my overall opinion on this movie is: meh!
The Strangers: Prey at Night is in UK cinemas now.
General Opinion:
⭐⭐⭐
Without Bailee Madison this would have been a two.
Scare Factor:
🕷️🕷️
A couple of jump scares but not many & one they gave away in the trailer.
Gore:
💉💉💉💉💉💉💉
It does do its gore well.
Clowns:
🤡🤡
A couple of throwaway funny lines at the beginning but not hugely funny.
