It’s taken nearly a decade, but after several years of rumours and speculation, the sequel to home invasion horror film The Strangers is finally in theaters. While the original movie, written and directed by Bryan Bertino, was not necessarily warmly received by critics, it proved to be a modest box office hit. A well-structured horror film defined by a quiet, mounting tension, The Strangers developed a following among horror fans.  Now The Strangers: Prey at Night has finallly hit theaters with relatively modest expectations.

Synopsis

A family travelling to drop off their troubled teenage daughter at a private school make a stop at a trailer park.  When they arrive they find the place deserted. Later in the evening, a familiar figure turns up knocking on their door, asking for “Tamara”. Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) and Martin Henderson (The Ring) replace Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman for this go-around. Most importantly, the budding franchise’s villains (Dollface, Pin-Up Girl, and Man in the Mask) all return.

The Strangers – Prey At Night Has More Cliches, Less Scares

Sometimes you just can’t go home, a point firmly reinforced by Prey at Night. The movie rigidly adheres to the sequel playbook – it’s louder, more violent, and has a higher body count. While The Strangers methodically dialed up its scares, Prey at Night starts quickly. Our masked trio are front row and centre, delivering two deaths right out of the gates. Music was used sparingly to great effect in the original to create a sense of dread. In contrast, the sequel’s 80’s pop music-infused soundtrack is prominent and, at times, distracting.

At one point, a character actually says, “I’ll be right back.”

Sadly, The Strangers: Prey at Night embraces a range of horror film cliches. Characters split up, a police officer shows up and gets killed within seconds, the killers are illogically omnipresent, and one character runs in a straight line while being chased by a slow-moving car. I had a running list in the back of my head as the film chugged along. At one point, a character actually says, “I’ll be right back.” And yes – seemingly dead killers jump back to life. Twice.

The Strangers: Prey at Night Has a Few Silver Linings

Fortunately, Prey at Night salvages its second half with enough action and scares to justify its existence. To his credit, director Johannes Roberts maintains a brisk pace. There are are enough jumps and death scenes to distract the audience from thinking too hard. But you won’t find much in the way of atmosphere or tension. Nevertheless, Roberts gets in a few good jolts here and there. One scene involving a Jack-in-the-Box also shows some restraint in building up the anticipation and delivering on the scare.

…the sequel leans heavily on its villains.

Roberts – who helmed last year’s surprise hit, 47 Meters Down – also demonstrates some visual flair in a few scenes. Both the ‘pool fight scene and the ‘flaming car’ chase are set up effectively and beautifully executed on screen. There’s also an intensity to the deaths that add a certain level of gravitas, often absent from other horror films. These scenes are greatly assisted by the film’s villains who remain menacing if not a little overused this time. The Strangers was a much more patient film, allowing its killers to linger in the shadows. In Prey at Night, the sequel leans heavily on its villains. And while the pop music score is often distracting, Roberts does employ some musical segments very effectively to contribute to the 80’s horror aesthetic the film was trying to establish.

Prey at Night Plagued by Missed Potential

Watching The Strangers: Prey at Night, one gets the impression that there was a much better sequel buried somewhere in the film’s brisk 85 minutes. Roberts has shown flashes of skill and you have to wonder if he could have done more with a better screenplay. Prey at Night clearly aspires to more, with its homages to John Carpenter’s Christine and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s ending. Its few redeeming qualities just get overwhelmed by the assembly-line of horror film and sequel stereotypes.

THE PROFESSOR’S FINAL GRADE: C-