Kristen (Liv Tyler) and James (Scott Speedman) are tired, sad and barely speaking after her rejection of his proposal. Then a stranger knocks at the door. When James goes out to buy cigarettes, Kristen is left alone, and someone is already inside the house.
Bertino's film is simple and effective. He uses silence, empty rooms and long, still shots. The most famous scene, a masked man appearing silently in the background behind Kristen, is one of the creepiest moments in modern horror.
Liv Tyler is excellent as Kristen, whose terror feels painfully real. The strangers rarely speak, and the lack of any motive makes them even more frightening.
The characters make some frustrating choices, and the plot is thin. But The Strangers is a tense, frightening film that will make you think twice about answering the door late at night.
