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THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT (2018) - Movie Review
Nostalgia and paying homage to the films and directors of horror's past has become pretty common lately and Prey at Night follows suit to this. It's very much like an 80's slasher sequel to the T. Having more kills, blood and gore, a bigger location to work with, and more of a sense of humor than the original 2008 film. It's over the top-ness and lighter tone than the original will disappoint some viewers while pleasing others.
We follow a family visiting relatives while on the way to dropping their rebellious daughter off at a boarding school. The relatives own a mobile home park that is closed for the season and this where the Strangers have chosen for their next game of cat and mouse. After discovering the bodies of their dead aunt and uncle, Kinsey, Luke, and their parents become hunted by the Strangers and forced into a fight for their lives.
Starting with the positives of the film is that while the family dynamic is typical, the acting is done fairly well and you root for the family to survive. The cinematography, colors, and lighting are great and I enjoyed those aspects of the film a lot. The homages are fine and not in your face. The Strangers and their cavalier attitude toward killing and the situations they find themselves in are pretty funny.
The big negatives are that the plot is too similar to other films and, overall, it's a middle of the road type movie. Mentioned above the family dynamic is basic and typical as is the setup to and for the actual plot. The movie, while having some fun here and there, never reaches the point of being great and never brings anything fresh or new to the table.
I would recommend the film as a killing time/having a lazy day type movie to be sought out on Netflix and Red Box. It's good, not great, and the short runtime won't take up much of your day.
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR -
El Barto acquired a love of horror, film, and pro wrestling from a very young age that has only continued to grow to this day. He enjoys learning about the background and production of movies, reading, collecting, and discussing just about any form of entertainment.
