"The Strangers: Chapter 1," directed by Renny Harlin, is the latest addition to the "Strangers" horror film franchise. The movie, released on May 17, 2024, serves as a reboot of the original 2008 film and the first installment in a planned trilogy.
The plot centers on a young couple, Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), who find themselves stranded in a rural Oregon town due to car troubles. They take refuge in a remote Airbnb, only to be terrorized by three masked assailants. The film follows the typical home invasion trope, featuring intense cat-and-mouse chases and brutal violence, but offers little innovation.
Harlin, known for action films like "Die Hard 2," brings technical competence but fails to inject new life into the story. The script, written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, revisits familiar territory without adding fresh elements, making the 91-minute runtime feel unnecessarily prolonged.
"The Strangers: Chapter 1" is rated R for its depiction of intense violence and dark themes. Additional entries in the franchise are scheduled to be released within the next year.