They Are Not Your Friends: The Strangers

Written and directed by Brian Bertino, "Strangers" delivers 90 minutes of jaw-clenching, breath holding psychological and eventually physical terror. The scene is set for a realistically terrifying roller coaster ride from the beginning by the narrator who eludes that the film is based on factual events up until the very end.

The MPAA gave "Strangers" a rated R for the violence/terror and some language. While this move definitely fits into the horror genre there are no blood and guts scenes or special effects with knives and body parts. "Strangers" belongs in the rated R category simply because of the sheer terror it imparts. The entire time you are watching, in the back of your mind you can't help but think this could be happening to the house down the street - or worse yet it could happen to you.

Young couple Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) have returned from a friend's wedding and are staying in his father's empty house in a remote little town. All seems tranquil enough except for the tension between the couple. It is the wee hours of the night when they hear a knock at the door. They are asked if Tamara is home, after telling the stranger no, the shut the door. Later, the stranger returns to the door while James has gone to the store. She repeats the question to Kristen who refuses to open the door. What ensues is hours of psychological terror being inflicted on Kristen and James, ending in the stabbing of the couple.

The realistic theme in the movie is brilliantly created by writer/director Brian Bertino. This movie did not need special effects or overdone sets, a simple house in a rural setting with no one to come to their aid. The "Stranger" in the potato sack mask's ability to enter and exit the house unnoticed is a brilliantly cut into the scenes. If you turn your head for one minute you might miss him in the scene, just as they miss him standing in the hallway.

Watching the movie, I was on the edge of my seat. One noise in my house would set me off into a blood curling scream. I refused to move for anything, other than locking my front door and bolting my windows.

Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman bring the characters to life by not overacting. The terror they portray is very convincing such as James (Scott Speedman) not believing Kristen (Liv Tyler) when she tries to tell him there is someone outside - the typical male reaction to a hysterical female.

As the movie progresses the tension reaches points of sheer panic. Your own reflexes will involuntarily jump many times during this terrifying yet fantastic movie. Closing your own windows and double checking your locks is just a by-product of the real terror this movie induces.

Unlike movies where you are scared and at the same time you know it isn't real, "Strangers" will make you question answering your door at night. It's no longer the boogeyman you have to be afraid of, it's the Stranger walking down the street.