The Strangers: Prey at Night

Some might not think so, and I don’t blame you… but this is my favorite compared to the first movie. The way the strangers always seem to be one step ahead sends chills through my body.

⭐️⭐️1/2

The beginning was a little slow but once the suspense kicked in it had me hooked.

not the OG but still better than expected.

Rating: 5/10 ⭐️

I expected a slow-burn chiller, but this ended up being a super neon-soaked, 80s-style slasher.

What Worked:
Samul’s neon lighting gives the dark trailer park a chaotic texture I totally dug. The pool sequence is fantastic, blending a brutal struggle with upbeat 80s pop for a jarring contrast. Through my Methodist faith lens, seeing this fractured family selflessly sacrifice for each other beautifully reminded me how crisis forces us to rely on unconditional love and grace.

The Cuts:
The middle part really dragged for me because the family makes terrible, cliché decisions. Leaning hard into campy tropes gave me total tonal whiplash, totally abandoning the original’s realistic dread. Keeping it spoiler-free, the early dialogue feels super forced while we just spin our wheels waiting for the horror to kick in.

Verdict:
An 80s slasher homage that loses the original’s creepy magic. Okay for mindless chases, but skip if you loved the first film's grounded tension.

Favorite Line: “Why not?”

This was surprisingly good! I really liked it. Always a bit ridiculous to keep the plot going but I liked it. Had me screaming and jumping. The ending was so absurd but funny as hell.