The Strangers: Chapter 2 (2025)

The Strangers: Chapter 2

When the original film came out I went in with very low expectations, but I found the Strangers to be a solid film. While it may not go down as one of the genre greats, but it was an effective little film. The Strangers: Prey at Night was a decent enough film. While I didn’t enjoy it as much as the original, but it wasn’t a bad film, though tries a little too hard with the use of 80s music, but again it was a fair enough film that’s mostly enjoyable. After a several year hiatus saw a new trilogy of films starting with the Strangers: Chapter 1. All three films in the series were set to be directed by Renny Harlin a very polarizing filmmaker. Harlin has his fair share of fans, but also a lot of detractors. While I wouldn’t rate Harlin as one of my favorite filmmakers but I do enjoy some of his work such as Prison, A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger. All solid films that I quite enjoy. But at this stage in his career I was a little weary. The Strangers: Chapter 1 wasn’t terrible, but it’s the very definition of average at best. It’s one of those films where I wouldn’t say I was ever bored, but I can’t say I was ever really entertained either. When the first film in a series or in this case first film in a reboot to relaunch the series turns out poor or just average that’s typically not a good sign of things to come. There’s exceptions to the rule, but there aren’t many sequels or sequels after a relaunch that I found to improve over an average or below average film. My expectations weren’t super high for Chapter 1, but they weren’t for the original film and I was pleasantly surprised. But the same couldn’t be said about Chapter 1 and despite having fairly low expectations Chapter 1 even if I find it just average still managed to underwhelm. So my expectations for Chapter 2 were even lower and the trailer didn’t do much to change that.

The Strangers: Chapter 2 isn’t the exception to an average or below average prior film, but I did find Chapter 2 to be a slight improvement over Chapter 1 even if still an average film overall. Chapter 2 isn’t anywhere near as good as the original and not as good as Prey at Night, but again I do think it’s a tad bit better than Chapter 1. Most of the reviews range from average to below average and I can’t defend the film from its detractors as I myself found it average, but it’s not a bad film just simply put an ok one.

The Strangers: Chapter 2 was written by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland and the script is fairly simple as it’s sort of long chase scene with breaks spread out. The problem here is there’s some backstory for the strangers as kids, but problem is these scenes add absolutely nothing except set up a 3rd film. Removing the scenes wouldn’t feel like anything is missing and more importantly we don’t need any sort of explanation. While as a series goes on motiveless killers might need an explanation, but if handled properly nothing is needed. Regardless the backstory adds absolutely nothing to the film except slowdown the pace. Almost every local is set up as a possible suspect with some being a little too obvious. This isn’t Scream or anything of the sorts. We don’t need suspects. We can easily assume any local could possibly be the strangers and that alone should work. However, the script is still fair enough even if nothing great.

As director Renny Harlin gets the film off to a solid enough start as the strangers chase after Maya (Madeleine Petsch) around the hospital and into the morgue. While this is very much horror filmmaking 101 it’s a fairly effective sequence. After that Harlin keeps the film just fair enough at least for me. While I wasn’t gripped or anything, but I found it more than watchable. However the entire film is almost unraveled by the boar scene. While the blame is more on the writing, but what an absolutely silly and absurd scene that made me laugh when the response intended by Harlin was the exact opposite. The Strangers: Chapter 2 does kind of repeat itself at times, but it’s not easy to keep chase scenes suspenseful. But I do think Renny Harlin gets a little more out of Chapter 2 than he does with Chapter 1. There are pace issues as there’s very little in the way of story, but again I do feel Harlin got just enough out of the production to keep it watchable minus the silly boar scene. Though I will say by the end I did feel as if it was dragging too much and the film only clocks in at 90-minutes with the final 8-minutes being closing credits.

Overall the Strangers: Chapter 2 is an average entry into the series. I easily get why so many dismiss it, but I found it an ok film that’s a slight improvement over Chapter 1. I can’t really recommend the Strangers: Chapter 2 unless you really liked Chapter 1. For those that found Chapter 1 average or below average, odds are you’ll find Chapter 2 the same. Even if I found it to be an improvement, it was just slightly at that. So while I didn’t love the film, but I did find it a just passable late night viewing.

3/5