Search - The Strangers [Widescreen] on DVD

Glenn Howerton - Mike
Alex Fisher - Mormon Boy #1
Peter Clayton-Luce - Mormon Boy #2

The supposed "true events" which the film is based upon are in fact fictional, speculation ranging anywhere from the director's own childhood to "Helter Skelter" to the 1981 Keddie Murders.

Still, this is a terrifying movie.

We begin as outsiders looking into the obviously strained relationship between Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman). For reasons unknown to us, the two are dolled up (and very upset). Confused, we drive with the couple to a house owned by James's parents. We come inside with them and, still in the grips of an icy quiet, we begin to understand.

Kristen enters the master bathroom, intent on a bath, to see a bathtub surrounded by candlelight and rosebuds. James says little as he helps Kristen out of her dress.

"Oh," we think.

They had gone to a friend's wedding reception, James with a ring in his suit pocket. We learn in flashbacks that he had asked Kristen to marry him -- only to be refused. Now we understand the frigidness between the two and why the first scenes of the movie are so silent.

A "No" is the least of all our worries as the film quickly progresses with a knock on the front door. A blonde stranger with no face (for the porch light is dysfunctional) asks for a stranger, leaves unremarkably when told that she must have the wrong house.

Soon after this James leaves for cigarettes, a drive to clear his head, while Kristen stays inside the house. She begins to start a fire in the fireplace, but is interrupted by another knock on the door.

The blonde girl has returned, again asking for this strange "Tamara".

Kristen, who has left the door closed, tells Blondie that she has already come. Blondie asks, "Are you sure?"

Unnerving, made more so with the harshness of the fire alarm; the fireplace flue is closed and smoke is filling the living room. Attending to this, Kristen then tears the alarm from the wall. She lets it fall to the floor as the knocking starts up again.

After locking all the doors in the house, Kristen calls James. She is frightened (as are we) and would like him to hurry --

With the dying of the phone line, we are suddenly thrust further into this nightmare.

This is an unrelenting movie, one sure to make you jump at least once and question the safety of your home (the murderous capabilities of the people you pass on the street). In a word: fantastic.

One of the scariest movies I've ever seen!

Watched twice already! Makes you hold your breath!

I was on edge thru most of this movie, but I hated that fact that it was a true story.

This movie scared the life out of me! it's been over a week and I'm still thinking about it and scared to close my eyes at night or take a shower without anyone else in the house. This movie was said to be a "terror" movie, and that's exactly what you feel when you're watching it. My whole body was tense from start to finish. Not a keeper for me only because I'm too scared to watch it again!

I am not sure if I like it or not. There was hardly any conversation in the movie, it was like watching an old black and white movie, not the entire movie but alot of it. There was parts of it where I was scared, the music really played into that. But It left me asking more questions than answers. No-one really knows why psychos do such horrible things and I think that was what they were tring to portray with this movie. It was based on true events, which can be taken with a grain of salt. The ending left me believing that there will be a number 2. If there is I hope they step it up a notch and let the viewers get to know the main charactors first before the slaughter begins. Good concept but is it a keeper? Ill leave that decision up to you.

Most horror movies these days are ruined by the fact that you can't forget that you're watching a famous actor and so it's hard to suspend disbelief and get into the movie. I thought that would be the case with this movie since it had Liv Tyler in it but I was wrong. She doesn't seem like a glamorous actress playing a movie role, she seems like a real person and so I was able to get into this film. It's more of a weird low key, spooky film as opposed to a shocker, nail biting type of horror film. I rented this, thinking it wasn't good enough to own but I would recommend it. I could see this being a keeper for many horror fans.

Great movie. Steven King even wrote that it's the best horror movie in years. For those who miss the classic horror film, this is for you. It's excellent in its simplicity. It's a nail bitter for sure. It'll leave you anxious and scared to blink. Watch it at night to enhance the suspense. You'll jump at every noise you hear. I highly recommend this to anyone who loves to be scared.