The Last Time DVD: Review By Mushy

The Strangers is one of those movies that is constantly working on the viewer. This film, which is "inspired by true events," shows us a couple in a rocky relationship who find themselves in the ultimate fight for their lives with a group of unknown intruders. Burning slowly, we soon come to realize that that the man and woman(Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) who are being attacked, never really stood a chance against this Manson-like clan. Interestingly, there is nothing fun or even laughable about this movie. It gives us the long, painful process that is a home invasion and it is this sense of doom that will ultimately resonate with viewers.

Deleted Scenes

There are two deleted scenes on this DVD but I don't think that they need to be watched. It isn't that they are bad but this disc comes with rated and unrated versions of this film. There isn't really a need to give us anything more. A movie like The Strangers doesn't need any explanation. It is what it is and that alone should be enough to captivate viewers.

The Elements of Terror

Anamorphic Widescreen. 2.35:1. This film looks both big budget and independent. Part of me was a bit stumped by the quiet nature of this movie. Afterall, based on the packaging you want Halloween not Lost In Translation. Still, this film looks really good with images that are sometimes too crisp. The movie starts off very clean and by the end you are mired in its dirtiness.

English Dolby Digital 5.1. Subtitled in English, Spanish and French. The audio on this release was good. In fact the only real problem is that this movie relies too much on those moments of gripping sound with images that reveal nothing. Eventually, all of that gets pushed aside and this story allows itself to be told. Once that happens, the merging of haunting images and sound becomes almost perfect.

Ripping off the cover of The Hills Have Eyes 2 really does this movie a disservice. The image here showcases a Reservoir Dogs-type character with a bag over their head as they pull a body. The back gives us random shots from this movie, a tiny description of what this film is about, a Special Features listing, cast list, and technical specs.

There was something about The Strangers that really scared me. At first I was a bit put off by how quiet this film was, but as the terror starts, when that first knock on the door comes, you know that our main characters should have left the house they were staying in as soon as possible. Truthfully, the fact that they didn't probably prolonged their lives because The Strangers about whom this movie was titled were too dialed in. They knew what they were after and the fact that Speedman and Tyler's characters fought back eventually served to show just how futile their efforts were.

Some people I have talked to loved this movie, while others say that they "wanted more." For me, The Strangers worked on all the right levels and once it gets going it never lets you off the hook.