Bryan Bertino's debut thriller is a simple, suspense-filled variant on the slasher genre which plays out slowly and with a high degree of tension. Taking the premise of unwanted, sinister strangers knocking at the door of a house situated in the middle of nowhere, with a young couple (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) forced to fight for their lives, there is much about this movie that relies on cliché. However where it differs is in the execution: most of the dread built up in both the victims and the audience relies on the anticipation of horrific events rather than, well, the execution (not to labour a point). Bertino has great skill as a director - he really knows what is scary and exploits horror conventions to the full, ensuring that viewers are never ironic about what they are seeing but rather left genuinely holding their breath. However his conviction seems to falter as he draws things to a close.
[WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! - Ed]
After all the suspense, the ending fails to satisfy or explicate what has happened. Once the pair are caught by the three lunatics, it feels like the movie doesn't really know where to go next: unlike what has gone before, the clichés are now just clichés and the fate of Kristen and Scott seems rushed and sadistic just for the sake of being so. Which might be the intention, but it makes for a pretty pointless and depressing resolution. We get the impression that the three psychos are new at their craft, yet the way they have gone about things is meticulous (much like the director). This inconsistency isn't the only thing which raises alarm bells. The structure is slightly sloppy and there are gaps that are never explained.
I was completely hooked by the first hour so felt sorely disappointed at how things played out. It's certainly a compelling movie which guarantees you will be looking over your shoulder next time you're home alone, so on that basis I would recommend it to any horror fan. However, don't expect quality from start to finish - prepare yourself not just for jumps and bumps in the night, but for the movie's unfortunate and badly timed self destruction.
[WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! - Ed]
After all the suspense, the ending fails to satisfy or explicate what has happened. Once the pair are caught by the three lunatics, it feels like the movie doesn't really know where to go next: unlike what has gone before, the clichés are now just clichés and the fate of Kristen and Scott seems rushed and sadistic just for the sake of being so. Which might be the intention, but it makes for a pretty pointless and depressing resolution. We get the impression that the three psychos are new at their craft, yet the way they have gone about things is meticulous (much like the director). This inconsistency isn't the only thing which raises alarm bells. The structure is slightly sloppy and there are gaps that are never explained.
I was completely hooked by the first hour so felt sorely disappointed at how things played out. It's certainly a compelling movie which guarantees you will be looking over your shoulder next time you're home alone, so on that basis I would recommend it to any horror fan. However, don't expect quality from start to finish - prepare yourself not just for jumps and bumps in the night, but for the movie's unfortunate and badly timed self destruction.