![]() ![]() Part of that might be attributed to Bryan Bertino’s 2008 film The Strangers, which came out at the height of the “torture porn” craze that permeated the Saw films then later T he Purge and its sequels. When “The Strangers: Prey at Night” finally reveals the reasoning behind Dollface, Pin-Up Girl and Man in the Mask’s crime rampage, it lacks the chill of the original’s unsettlingly simple, “Because you were home.” It’s also less grim than its predecessor, which may please more viewers while they’re watching, but ultimately leaves less of an impression than it might if it took a bleaker route to the end.For whatever reason, there’s been a slew of home invasion movies over the past decade. Roberts also brings in more ’80s music late in the game to hammer in his influences, including the best use of Bonnie Tyler’s “Total Eclipse of the Heart” this side of “Old School.” Cinematographer Ryan Samul previously worked on Jim Mickle’s mood-infused genre films like “Cold in July” and “Stake Land,” and his lensing elevates this movie, especially in its final act. ![]() Things get more stylish as the film approaches its climax, taking an hour to make good on the visual promise made in its opening moments. ![]() ![]() It’s a frustrating experience at times, but the script from Ben Ketai and “The Strangers” filmmaker Bryan Bertino eventually allows the family to take some satisfying actions in the second half of the film. THE STRANGERS PREY AT NIGHT TRUE STORY MOVIEHorror movie characters aren’t generally known for their brains, but these ones make enough bad choices that audiences won’t be able to help yelling at the screen (at least ours couldn’t). There’s little that feels fresh here, with genre tropes and tricks appearing throughout, though fans may be too terrified to care. “The Strangers: Prey at Night” not only follows in the original film’s footsteps, but those tread by France’s “Them” and a variety of other home-invasion films. Roberts’ sequel amps up the unease by beginning with the tagline, “Based on true events.” But it’s unclear what real-life story it’s based on, other than its inspiration by “The Strangers,” which also made the same claim. Also, the lack of supernatural influence and their everyday attire make them seem as if they could be real - versus the vampires, demons and ghosts that inhabit other films. And like its predecessor, “The Strangers: Prey at Night” works because of the simultaneous familiarity and unfamiliarity of these villains with their covered, immovable faces, near-silence and seemingly unknowable motives for murder. The three original villains - Dollface, Pin-Up Girl and Man in the Mask - all return, or at least their costumes do. So when violence enters the park in the form of masked killers, there’s no one to hear the family’s screams as they move between empty homes, trying desperately to stay alive. “Everybody leaves after Labor Day,” Cindy explains. The family plans an overnight stop with relatives who spend the off-season at a trailer park of summer homes. ![]()
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