New Release Birb- The Strangers: Prey at Night

The Strangers: Prey at Night
Starring: Bailee Madison and Christina Hendricks
Directed by Johannes Roberts
US Release Date: March 9th, 2018
My First Viewing: March 8th, 2018
image credit: imdb.com

Ten years after the release of The Strangers (starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman), The Man in the Mask, Dollface, and Pin-Up Girl are back in The Strangers: Prey at Night.

In an unknown timeframe after the events of the first Strangers, we see at the beginning of the film picking off an older couple. While making a trip to drop their daughter off at boarding school, Cindy (Christina Hendricks), Mike (Martin Henderson), and their kids Kinsey (Bailee Madison) and Luke (Lewis Pullman) stop by a family members trailer park, where they are soon terrorized by the three masked murderers. The reason the trio is going after them, much like in the first film, was because they were there. There are some fun callbacks to the first film, and some of the scares were earned, but the film falls apart in the initial premise and a mind-boggling ending.

While both films do have to rely on jump scares to build tension, the original Strangers was more toned down then Prey at Night. As subtle as getting hit over the head with an axehandle, the film has to rely on jump scares and ramped up violence to garner any form of reaction. The story and acting were all fine, but Prey at Night, unfortunately, fell short of any expectations I may have had, which begs the question why a sequel had to be made in the first place. I really enjoyed The Strangers, but Prey at Night by comparison just seemed adequate at best.

The Strangers: Prey at Night is rated R for horror violence and terror and for language. What are your thoughts on the film? Follow me at twitter.com/moviebirb or facebook.com/moviebirb and leave me your comments on the film.

-birb

Comments

New Release Birb- A Fantastic Woman

A Fantastic Woman (Una Mujer Fantástica) Starring: Daniela Vega and Francisco Reyes Directed By Sebastián Lelio US Release Date: November 17, 2017 My First Viewing: March 2, 2018 A nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards, A Fantastic Woman stars Daniela Vega as Marina, a woman who is dealing with grief and the prejudice of those around her life after the death of her older partner. This is a beautiful movie that is carried by Vega. She makes this movie so profoundly powerful that you feel with her through her journey, even if this is not something a lot of people can directly relate to. Marina has a difficult enough time in her life dealing with the death of her partner Orlando (Francisco Reyes), but with this being a relationship with a much older man and a trans woman, there are added layers. Between the police, doctors, and Orlando's family, Marina has a lot to deal with, but she is strong and isn't afraid to fight for what she believes ...

New Release Birb: First Reformed

First Reformed Starring: Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried Written and Directed by Paul Schrader US Release Date: May 18th, 2018 My First Viewing: May 30th, 2018 A former military officer turned Reverend deals with the struggles of guilt and despair in his own life as well as the world around us in First Reformed, starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried. Hawke plays Reverend Toller, who at the beginning of the film starts a one-year journal exercise to write his thoughts in the truest way possible, by putting pen to paper. In his small congregation (which is run by a superchurch run by Cedric "The Entertainer" Kyles) is Mary (Seyfried) and her husband Michael (Philip Ettinger). Mary wants to set Michael up with Reverend Toller because he is depressed about global warming and he wants her to get rid of their unborn child because he doesn't want to bring another life into this world. This is a very deliberately paced film, but it keeps you invested. Hawke's...

Best Picture Birb- Get Out

Get Out Starring: Daniel Kaluuya and Allison Williams Written and Directed by Jordan Peele US Release Date: February 24, 2017 Most Recent Viewing: March 3, 2018 Image Credit: movieposter.com Nominated for four Academy Awards (including Best Actor and Best Picture), Get Out is the directorial debut of Key & Peele star Jordan Peele, who also produced and wrote the screenplay. Part horror-thriller, part social commentary on race in our society, Get Out tells the story of the relationship between Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and Rose (Allison Williams), and their dynamic when Rose brings Chris to meet her family for the first time. Bradley Whitford, Catherine Keener, and Caleb Landry Jones play Rose's parents and siblings. This is so much more than your standard horror fare, and I am so happy that the Academy honored this film with as many nominations as it did. Blumhouse Productions, who have their hands in many of the big horror franchises on the last decade p...

Random Movie Birb

Search This Blog