Rating: ⭐4.2/5
The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024) marks the third film in the Strangers franchise, kicking off a new trilogy aimed at reviving the cult horror series. Directed by Renny Harlin and written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, this new entry sticks to the traditional slasher formula: a couple encounters a group of masked psychopaths while isolated in a remote location. The film stars Madelaine Petsch as Maya and Froy Gutierrez as Ryan, a couple who find themselves trapped by three mysterious strangers with deadly intentions.
Although the film was heavily anticipated by fans, Chapter 1 received negative reviews, with critics pointing to its reliance on familiar horror tropes and lack of character development. Nevertheless, it has grossed over $47 million worldwide, and two more chapters are already in the works, though their release dates remain unknown.
Set in 2017, the film opens with a grisly prologue in which Jeff Morell, a man from the small town of Venus, Oregon, is ambushed and killed by three masked strangers—Scarecrow, Dollface, and Pin-Up Girl. Fast forward to a few months later, and Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and her boyfriend Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) are on a cross-country road trip to Portland for an important job interview. Along the way, they stop at a diner in Venus, where they notice a missing persons poster featuring Jeff’s face. Their car breaks down, and the local mechanic, Rudy, promises to fix it by morning.
To pass the time, Maya and Ryan are driven to a secluded Airbnb cabin by a friendly waitress named Shelly (Ema Horvath). As the couple settles in for the night, they are disturbed by a mysterious young woman who repeatedly knocks on their door asking for someone named Tamara. Later, as Ryan leaves to retrieve his inhaler from the town, Maya starts experiencing increasingly strange occurrences, including a power outage and an unsettling encounter with Dollface.
What follows is a nightmarish sequence of events as the three masked assailants break into the house and begin terrorizing the couple. The strangers’ methods are cruel and unpredictable, forcing Maya and Ryan to fight for their lives as they attempt to escape the ever-growing danger.
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere: The film builds a tense, suffocating atmosphere, especially in the secluded cabin. | Lack of Depth: The characters, particularly Maya and Ryan, lack substantial development, making it hard to invest in their fates. |
| Performance: Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez offer solid performances, capturing the couple's fear and desperation. | Predictable Plot: The story follows a formulaic pattern that doesn’t offer much beyond what fans have already seen in previous films. |
| Visuals & Cinematography: The film’s use of dark, shadowy visuals and claustrophobic settings enhances the horror. | Missed Opportunities: The film doesn’t explore the motives behind the strangers or offer new twists, relying on the same shock tactics as earlier entries. |
| Effective Scares: The film succeeds in creating genuine tension with its eerie set pieces, jump scares, and ominous presence of the masked killers. | Overreliance on Tropes: The film heavily leans into established slasher tropes (e.g., the power going out, the victim being chased through the woods) without offering much innovation. |
The Strangers: Chapter 1 succeeds in creating a tense and unsettling atmosphere, largely thanks to its isolated setting and the eerie presence of the three masked killers. Director Renny Harlin utilizes darkness and shadow effectively, turning the cabin and the surrounding woods into a claustrophobic nightmare where danger feels just around every corner. The tension is palpable as Maya and Ryan struggle to stay one step ahead of the increasingly relentless attackers.
The performances are also worth noting. Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez bring an emotional authenticity to their roles as a couple in peril. While their characters don’t have much depth or backstory, the actors effectively convey the fear and desperation that come with being hunted by mysterious assailants. The moments of quiet vulnerability between them—particularly before the horror truly begins—help ground the film emotionally, even as the story devolves into chaos.
The film also delivers on its promise of effective scares, particularly with its jump-scare moments and the unpredictable nature of the masked strangers. The film relies heavily on tension rather than gore, with the killers' motives remaining largely enigmatic, which allows their actions to retain an air of mystery.
Despite the strong atmosphere and performances, The Strangers: Chapter 1 falters in several key areas, particularly in terms of its plot and character development. The narrative is highly predictable, following a well-worn slasher formula that offers few surprises for seasoned horror fans. The trio of masked killers—Scarecrow, Dollface, and Pin-Up Girl—have little personality or depth, making them less menacing and more like one-dimensional threats. Unlike other memorable horror villains, they remain little more than faceless killers whose motives remain vague and unexplored.
The lack of character development also hurts the film’s emotional stakes. Maya and Ryan are largely generic, with little beyond their surface-level traits. While the actors do their best to sell the characters’ fear and confusion, there’s not enough emotional investment to make the audience truly care about their fate. Maya’s backstory, particularly her relationship with her older sister, is introduced but never fully explored, leaving her motivations feeling underdeveloped.
Additionally, the film does little to expand the Strangers universe or introduce new twists. Fans of the franchise might have expected a deeper exploration of the masked killers’ origins or motivations, but instead, the film sticks to a straightforward slasher plot with few innovations or deeper revelations.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 delivers the basics of a tense horror film, but struggles to offer anything new or deeply engaging. While it succeeds in building atmosphere and providing effective scares, it ultimately falls short in character development and plot originality. The formulaic nature of the story and the underwhelming development of its central characters detract from the emotional investment needed to make the film truly memorable.
With two more chapters planned, it remains to be seen whether the trilogy will deepen the mystery of the masked killers or continue to rely on the same tired tropes. For now, Chapter 1 stands as a competent but unremarkable addition to the slasher genre.
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