The Strangers: Chapter 2

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https://www.kismetmovies.com/releases/the-strangers-chapter-2

Date Reviewed: 29/09/2025

When The Strangers: Chapter 1 came out last year, some fans of the 2008 cult hit The Strangers believed they were getting a prequel, based on the title-alone. When they received a scaled-down remake of the same movie, with little-known actors, and a lower budget (even if made 15 years later); it was a sea of anger, disappointment, and a feeling of “why?”. Why was it remade, with nothing new brought to the table, and arguably made worse.

Director Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, The Adventures of Ford Fairlane) had a plan. Expand the story, give The Strangers some backstory, show what they do when someone survives their attack, and dive into how and why it continues to happen. But the new script was apparently huge (I’m not sure how), and they decided to split it into a trilogy (ka-ching!). With Chapter 1 being the introduction to the new universe…and essentially a remake, it’s the next 2 movies that bring something new. But with a lack of promotion for it as a new trilogy, they’ve already lost some people before the new stuff hits in Chapter 2.

And that brings us to now. If you haven’t seen Chapter 1, the 2008 original, or watched a trailer for this (which gives a fair bit away); you may want to stop reading now. Cause some things mentioned here will be spoilers for Chapter 1.

Chapter 2 picks up directly after the events of the previous film. Surviving victim Maya (Madelaine Petsch) is recovering in hospital. An early scene with the other townsfolk, shows the common belief is that she died in the attack. When word gets out that Maya has survived, the over-the-top suspicious looks shared by nearly every local character (the same look I have on my face when someone questions if anyone really likes M Night Shyamalan’s The Happening), suggests Maya’s in immediate danger. And thus, a 90min cat-and-mouse chase starts.

It does what people asked for – gives us something different than the 2008 original, which Chapter 1 failed to deliver. But it does so with one of the most basic chase-plots imaginable. And with Chapter 3 on the horizon, you can guess the outcome of the chase, and know there will be very little, if any, closure. Chapter 2 is just a bridge between parts 1 and 3, which is regularly the fate of the second movie of a planned trilogy. Great sequels are often created when a third entry is not guaranteed – The Godfather 2, Terminator 2, Aliens. But it takes something special for an awesome part 2 when it is a ‘bridge’ movie. Cheers to The Empire Strikes Back.

This is not the complete bust that the rabid fans of the original would have you believe. The fans that baked Chapter 1 for not providing anything new and are now scorching Chapter 2 when it does. The plot is thin, the CGI (in its “tribute” to The Revenant) is borderline laughable, and character decisions are highly questionable at times; but all 3 of things have been happening in horror movies for years, and the movie can still work. I mean, Georgie trusts a creepy clown hanging out in a drain in IT, just because he tells him his name. That doesn’t wash with me!!

I enjoyed the Halloween 2-feel of the extended hospital chase, I liked the set-up of our protagonist being rescued in a car that’s potentially filled with unmasked antagonists, and think they made the right choice for the final act’s reveal. As of right now, there’s still plenty of mystery, meaning Harlin hasn’t telegraphed things that an educated horror fan can usually pick out. I rate this element as a success…for now. But Chapter 3 could still ruin the few positives that have been built.

The movie looks good, with camera angles, lighting, and sound all working well. And Madelaine Petsch delivers, in a role that obviously carries the film. The advantage of all 3 movies being shot at once, means that all characters are available to return. We don’t have characters being re-cast, a significant change of appearance for any of them, or required script-changes based on reduced-actor-availability. These are things that a movie like Sin City 2 suffered from. As a chase movie, it was entertaining, even if not close to reaching the heights of something like 2011’s Headhunters.

But there are several issues in it. And if this was the end of the series, I’d be more scathing. But I am willing to wait for justification in Chapter 3. If that justification doesn’t come, you’ll find me jumping on the bandwagon and asking “why?” with everyone else.

Reviewed by Dion Gaunt