Hi all! 

Today I am reviewing new-release, horror: The Strangers: Chapter 2. It hit cinemas this month, allowing me the opportunity of seeing it on the big screen. After learning that one of their victims, Maya, is still alive, three masked maniacs return to finish the job. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Maya soon finds herself in a brutal fight for survival. If you wish to read my review for Chapter 1, click here. Without further ado, let’s get into it!

WHAT WORKED:

I can recognise both Chapter 1 and 2 are not good movies. And yet, I am still entertained by them. They are not unbearable to watch. I was intrigued; watching our Final Girl evade the masked killers – over and over. In fact, our lead, Maya (Madelaine Petsch), was exceptional. I felt her fear, pain and despair. She gave it everything she had. Controversially, I am one of the rare few interested in the lore behind The Strangers. I want to learn who they are. I certainly want clarification on who Tamara is. The sequel provided breadcrumbs to my questions – just enough to hold my attention until Chapter 3. It’s very hard for me to criticise something when a.) I don’t have all the answers and b.) I don’t know how this trilogy is going to end. I need to reserve my judgement. In my opinion, the first and third acts were the strongest. I enjoyed the chase scene in the hospital (reminiscent of Halloween II) and the paranoia Maya experiences throughout the film. When every single person is suspicious, who do you trust? I also want to commend the gore. There were some effectively bloody moments. If you go into this instalment not expecting much, you will have a decent time. 

WHAT DIDN’T WORK:

To put it bluntly, this sequel is a 90 minute chase sequence. It really doesn’t have any sort of plot or direction. It’s a filler movie, bridging the gap between Chapter 1 and 3. Do not expect depth or major story development. You won’t find it here. For those uninterested in The Strangers lore, you will not enjoy the flashback sequences. Despite my curiousity, they felt very out of place. There was something almost cringy about them. Furthermore, there was a scene in the middle of the film, that was just bizarre. I could not believe what I was seeing. In that moment, I felt like I was watching something completely different. I can absolutely see the vision for this trilogy, but the execution is poor. It just isn’t landing. I need to understand the point and at this stage, it’s not computing. Maybe it will all click into place when Chapter 3 arrives. I hope the payoff is worth it. 

OVERALL STAR RATING: 

I gave it 3.5/5 stars. I would wait to stream it. 

Have you seen The Strangers: Chapter 2? What did you think of it?

Peace & Love xoxo