Tristan Hutchinson

First of all, I love watching horror movies and grew up watching them. My feedback is coming from a person who has written scripts and thrillers. For anyone who follows the Strangers franchise they know the based on true events is a gimmick often used to initiate fear. The original writer of the 2008 film based their script on events which happened in a small community were houses were burglarized if the door was answered. A few could say the strangers prey at night was based on the Keddie murders in California. There is a lot of hate on this movie because of how similar this film is from The Stranger (2008) film. This was done in order to keep the same vibes from before. I feel the similarities were too much a like. Two victims, in a secluded forest, an innocent bystander gets killed, same death scene at the end, etc. I understand with a series installment the first movies needs to be similar to the original, but the original should be improved on. An example with the new Halloween movies they kept on the plot but improved on the story. What made the vibes work in the original so much because the story could actually happen, like Jaws the antagonists weren't shown until close to the which builds on suspense. Now with Chapter one, the antagonists were shown too early, the lines didn't add anything extra. We knew how the movie would start a knock on the door, a person asking for Tamara. The only plus is with Chapter one you couldn't see their face. I gave the movie three stars because even with the similarities it is still a decent movie. If you never watched the Strangers before than this movie would be better. If you are expecting a new movie then don't watch this movie. If you are like me and love the art of how horror is done then see it but don't expect to get scared.