by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
B- Rated R 90 min
In writer/director Bryan Bertino's twisted tale, the victims ask why the masked strangers are terrorizing them? In real life, a pregnant Sharon Tate asked the same question when she was being stabbed by the Manson Family. There is no why. The creepy lowlifes in this scenario are sadistic thrill killers and have chosen James Hoyt (Scott Speedman) and his girlfriend Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) at random because "they were home."
The movie rings true because we know that in real life, these murderous characters exist. Every day there are stories in the news about home invaders who kill the whole family for no reason but they are there, or they didn't want to leave witnesses. So, the realism gives the script bite, keeping the audience on edge with anticipation.
James and Kristen had been at a wedding and James used that romantic opportunity to propose marriage to Kristen, who says no-- she is not ready to get married. Awkward!! Yes, James feels like a chump for not reading Kristen's signals correctly. Nonetheless, the couple goes off to his family's summer house in the woods for an anticlimactic night. This is not the proposal afterglow that James had in mind, as they arrive at the rustic house with rose buds all over the interior. Kristen feels sad and guilty. But clearly, the two have feelings for one another.
As the couple begins to relax and think about having make up sex, a loud knock interrupts their sexual interlude. A young woman appears at the door and asks if her friend is home? They say no and think she is very weird. After recovering from the rude interruption, they resume their romantic interlude. Suddenly, there are more strange noises. James goes out to find his car has been vandalized. Now the couple is really getting freaked out.
For reasons not entirely clear, James leaves Kristen alone, and she has to deal with more harassment from the person or persons outside the house. When James returns, Kristen is hysterical, and James looks for his father's shotgun and its ammo. When he told his sweetie that he had hunted with his father and knew about firearms, he is forced to confess to her that he was lying. Yes, maybe Kristen is justified in not marrying this jerk. But he manages to screw on the barrel and load the 12 gauge pump shotgun. Then James and Kristen barricade themselves in the bedroom facing the door. Whoever appears at the door will get a face full of double-ought buckshot.
Bertino builds the tension skillfully but the viewers can figure out that the next person to appear at that doorway will not be a bad guy. Still, the thought of a siege with unknown assailants trying to get into the house is a strong device to ramp up the viewers' fear. It turns out that James goes outside to find the gang as a preemptive strike. However, he's inept at finding the invaders and ends up knocked out. By now, Kristen is completely irrational and has given into her hysterics. Ah yes, this couple is easy pickings for the strange quartet of house invaders.
As the tension mounts to a shockingly violent climax, Bertino's script revealed some glaring holes, such as the couple's inability to defend themselves. Their goofy choices to mount a defense cause the viewers to mock them for their stupidity. The vintage vinyl record stereo playing old country music was a cool touch and so were the Mormon boys who discover the aftermath of the night of violence. More curiously, why did James leave a second time knowing Kristen was scared to death? It just didn't seem plausible that her boyfriend, who had just proposed marriage to her would leave her alone with strange noises outside. But, that's what makes the movie tick. You just knew dear Liv would eventually be left alone by herself with the evil villains.
Overall, the scenario creates extreme fear and plays to our most primal fears of the unknown dangers lurking in the darkness. Yes, this gang of ruthless home invaders could have been the Manson family circa 2008. The picture delivers on its promise of scaring the bejesus out of the viewers.
Article Published in the May 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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