Strangers 2: Prey At Night (2018)

The Strangers 2: Prey at Night (2018)

When I saw The Strangers back in 2008, I felt like I had seen something different, and something completely terrifying. In recent years there has been talk of a sequel or a remake, and I could never understand why.

After seeing Strangers 2: Prey at Night, I still don't understand. It was pretty terrible. They tried to take the original premise- terrorizing a family where they felt safe- and make it new, but instead they just made it feel so rushed, formulaic,and predictable.

The first film is still one that I think of first when considering horror films made in the 21st that truly scared me. I don't know if I have ever screamed more at a movie where I was genuinely afraid and not just reacting to gimmicky jump scares (I do love those gimmicky jump scares and its why I love seeing horror films in the theater). It wasn't filled with a lot of dialogue or a ton of plot. A couple was being terrorized in their home by a group of masked creeps, and no one knew why. The couple didn't know and the audience didn't know. It is a horrific cat and mouse game being played in a place where one feels the safest- their home. That resonated with everyone viewing it. It was a tense time sitting in that seat watching this couple being terrorized while we were being terrified.

So if you are considering Strangers 2, see it at your own risk. I'd urge you instead to revisit the first film. But double check your doors and windows and check every dark corner, closet, and hiding spot in your house first.