The Strangers, Chapter 1 (#556)


I should be more observant.  I did recognize from the previews that I was in the theater that seems to be reserved for horror films.  And I didn't really notice that the title of the movie was a little unusual, i.e., THE STRANGERS; CHAPTER 1, because I didn't really believe that the filmmakers would blatantly announce there would be more chapters.  But they did because at the end of the film, the words "to be continued" rolled across the screen.  How dare they?!! This is the story of a nice young couple making an extended road trip, and they stop in a tiny offbeat village to eat.  There's a strange group in the restaurant and when our couple leaves, they find their car won't start. Conveniently, one of the others in the restaurant owns a car repair shop, examines things and tells them he needs to order a part from another town which he can't do until the morning.  There's no hotel in town but a waitress offers to drive them to a cottage available for their overnight.  And things go downhill from there.  Too many things happen to elaborate further, but it was, for me at least, one of the scarier films I've seen.  At the risk of giving sway too much, it became very obvious there would be a Chapter Two because the couple gets stabbed brutally at the end.  I honestly don't know if I will see the second chapter if it ever gets made.  It was not universally liked with only 13% of critics and 40% of audiences giving it a thumbs up.  I should have stayed at home.  

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