The Strangers: Chapter 1

"They don't need a reason."

2024 1h 31m EN

😐

5.7

MID

★5.7TMDB · 850

HorrorThriller

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motives.

“They don't need a reason.”

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Cast

Madelaine Petsch
Maya
Froy Gutierrez
Ryan
Gabriel Basso
Gregory
Ema Horvath
Shelly
Ella Bruccoleri
Jasmine
Richard Brake
Sheriff Rotter
Brooke Lena Johnson
911 Operator / Nurse Danica
Rafaella Biscayn-Debest
Eden

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Renny Harlin
Writers: Bryan Bertino, Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland
Languages: English
Countries: United Kingdom, United States of America, Spain

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 5.7× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 3 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America, Spain.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "The Strangers (Remake) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Renny Harlin, shot by José David Montero. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Justin Burnett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Michelle Harrison shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez and Gabriel Basso carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Renny Harlin directs. José David Montero behind the camera. Justin Burnett scores. Michelle Harrison cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in United Kingdom, United States of America, Spain. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Made its money back 5.7× over at the box office.
2Released 2 years ago.
3International production across 3 countries: United Kingdom, United States of America, Spain.
4Part of the "The Strangers (Remake) Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
5Directed by Renny Harlin, shot by José David Montero. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
6Original score by Justin Burnett. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
7Editor Michelle Harrison shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
8Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez and Gabriel Basso carry the top of the cast.
9Marketing tagline: "They don't need a reason.".
10IMDB entry: tt22050754 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
11Released under 12 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: José David Montero
Original score: Justin Burnett
Editing: Michelle Harrison
Production design: Adrian Curelea
Costume design: Oana Draghici
Makeup / hair: Yanina Berezutska
VFX supervisor: Ben Burrell
Sound: Simon Haupt
Stunt coordinator: Vladimir Orlov
Runtime: 91 min · 1h 31m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $8,500,000
Box office: $48,166,448
Return: 567% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024)

Part of

The Strangers (Remake) Collection

The Strangers trilogy is a reboot of the 2008 psychological home invasion film of the same name. A young couple are relentlessly terrorized by three masked strangers after their car breaks down in a small town. Their initial survival shifts into a dark journey of trauma and revenge as one is forced to confront the murderers directly, ultimately exploring themes of senseless violence.

Also by

Renny Harlin

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2024-05-23
★ 6/10
The heavy trailing of this and the fact that it's part one does little to help any sense of menace as we follow the young "Maya" (Madelaine Petsch) and boyfriend "Ryan" (Froy Gutierrez) on their road trip to Portland. She's heading to start a new job as an architect, and it looks like she might have been responsible for manscaping her boyfriend's perfect visage as this annoyingly loved up and clingy couple arrive at a remote rural diner. They're not married, which seems to rile the locals and when they go to leave, their brand new car won't start. Ha! Luckily, there's an air b'n'b nearby. A remote cabin fully equipped with all the home comforts - even some Dolly to play on vinyl. They're famished so he borrows a motor bike to go fetch some burgers, she's left behind and that's where the paranoia sets in. Is she being watched? Is she alone? Will "Ryan" get back before she has finished smoking a dodgy joint, listening to an entire LP and having a long shower? Was the burger joint in California? Anyway, it's soon clear that they are in some danger and together they must use all their skill and guile to stay alive! The scenario works a bit like "Cabin in the Woods". The moonlit forest serving as a backdrop for some ridiculous choices and some woefully bad acting/writing. It does manage to engender a slight degree of peril near the conclusion, but there's really nothing at all new here and from fairly early on it is clear just what part two will be all about. Not terrible, but really predicable and disappointingly flat.
r96sk2024-05-23
★ 5/10
<em>'The Strangers: Chapter 1'</em> is a let-down. It sets the scene well with some tension and is held together by a strong score, visually in terms of cinematography and literally in the case of the masks it is fairly effective too but the film doesn't really do enough - with those aforementioned positives and just in general. It starts onscreen by describing forthcoming events as "brutal", yet by the end I don't really feel like I saw anything all that noteworthy; just your standard horror fare, at best, really. Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez are good in the lead roles I will say, though some of their character decisions (as is typical with this genre, I guess) are frustratingly dumb; I'm looking at you in particular, Gutierrez's Ryan. Some of their dialogue isn't much better, either. All in all, I'm disappointed as this could've been real great. Instead, we're left with something that I'd personally class as poor, unfortunately. Chapters 2 + 3 might improve things, let's hope so, but I wouldn't be surprised if this basically just gets rehashed in those next installments, let's hope not in that case. 'Twas, nevertheless, nice to see the cinema screening busier than usual for this, even if there were more dissatisfied chuckles than desired scares from those nearby.
TheSceneSnobs2024-07-09
★ 1/10
This reimagining of the far superior original was an abysmal disappointment. While attempting to build a trilogy or franchise, it's crucial to ensure that each movie can stand on its own. Unfortunately, this film fails to achieve that, presenting a boring three-act structure where nothing significant happens. The film's suspense is nonexistent, failing to create any sense of tension or atmosphere. A suspenseful movie should keep viewers on the edge of their seats, but this one falls flat. The characters are mostly unlikable, making it hard to invest in their fates. In a horror film, it's essential to have characters that the audience can either root for or fear for. Here, the protagonists' lack of depth and development leaves viewers indifferent. For example, there's a scene where the main character faces a crucial decision, but due to poor character development, the moment lacks emotional weight and impact. I recall an experience at Universal's Halloween Horror Nights Terror Tram ride in Hollywood, where we were led through the mountains all the way to the Bates Motel. During this trek, I encountered a Haunter dressed as the 'Sackhead Man' from the original movie. This character exuded an eerie presence that was genuinely unsettling. In contrast, the 'Sackhead Man' or "Scarecrow" as credited in this film, doesn’t even make the top three performances of 'Sackhead' that I have encountered. This portrayal lacks the menace and charisma needed to make a lasting impression. Overall, this reimagining fails to capture the essence of the original. It lacks suspense, atmosphere, and compelling characters, resulting in a tedious and forgettable experience. For a film to succeed in revitalizing a classic, it must honor the original's strengths while introducing fresh and engaging elements. Sadly, this movie does neither, leaving fans yearning for the original's superior storytelling and tension.