The Stranger

I was initially lured to watching the 2022 horror movie "The Stranger" given the movie's somewhat interesting cover. I had never heard about this movie prior to watching it, so I didn't know what I was in for, so writers and directors Mike Clarke and Paul Gerrard had every opportunity to bedazzle and impress me.

The storyline in "The Stranger", as written by Mike Clarke and Paul Gerrard, started out okay, but about halfway through the 79 minutes, the movie started to lose its momentum and sort of went into a standstill of sorts. Sure, "The Stranger" was watchable, but it was hardly an outstanding, memorable or particularly scary horror experience.

I wasn't familiar with the cast ensemble in "The Stranger", but the actors and actresses put on fairly adequate performances, given the scope of the contents of script and storyline. It is a relatively small cast ensemble, with the majority of the movie just revolving around Damien Ashley (playing Kyle), Jennifer K. Preston (playing Amanda) and Isabella Percival (playing Karli).

Visually then "The Stranger" is a low-key movie. There wasn't much of any special effects being used throughout the course of the 79 minutes that the movie ran for. Not that the movie really needed special effects, as it wasn't such a movie.

Watchable for what it was, "The Stranger" came and went without leaving a lasting impression on me. The best thing about "The Stranger", actually, was the cover. "The Stranger" offers nothing that haven't already been done or seen in many other home-invasion movies before it. And it was sort of anti-climatic that you never get to know what those darkened human-like creatures actually were.

My rating of "The Stranger" from writers and directors Mike Clarke and Paul Gerrard lands on a four out of ten stars.

That genre being - tiny budget, single location, handful of actors - horror.

Think Hellraiser and A Dark Song and X, on a shoestring.

It's a first time full feature - though Mike and Paul have been around awhile.

And if you take that into account the flaws can be excused.

The acting, it's not quite there, but it's generally prett good. A little more experience, whether from them, or the directors, or the script, and you can see it could have been great.

Effects, not much obvious, the few clear examples are more about turning the concepts into costume/makeup - and that was well done.

Originally titled Karli, the name change was a good idea, until another film came out with the same name last year!

Nicely leaves things open for a prequel and sequel(s).

The Hunters are coming...

Full disclosure, I've known one of the directors for a number of years.

Not a bad effort from a small budget. There was a gradual build up of fear throughout, and there was a mystery that kept my attention.

Some of the dialogue could have been better written. The early tension between mother and daughter added nothing positive to the film. It probably would have been better if the mother was a stronger person, not relying on alcohol and pills.

And there were a few plot holes, that others have mentioned here in their reviews.

Although it would have been better if the characters had been more likable so we would feel more concern for them, it was still very frightening and the scenes during the night were nicely directed.

Saw this on the recommendation of a friend who loves her unknown little horror gems. It's very clearly on a budget (having checked that budget before I wrote this) but what they do with that budget is very commendable. The past few years have seen an increase in the genre of folk horror (i.e Robert Eggars) - that idea of solitary, isolated locations, normally wrapped up in some cultish goings on that can allow the darkness to really settle in and make you feel unsettled as an audience, it's something that The Stranger utilises very well and for an independent film, dare I say, it does the job swimmingly.

Performances across the board (from what appears to be a relatively unknown cast) create a strong sense of realism in their fear of the ever building sense of dread that is the evil perpetrators outside, trying to get into the house/cottage as they have some masochistic fun with it's occupier's from the external. They sell the fear and urgency from the opening scene and you go along with them on the ride, hoping they may make it through.

Mr Clarke and Gerrard seem to have a very grounded feel for creating the supernatural here and it never falls off the proverbial cliff into cliche or 'oh, here we go again' territory. They utilise some very clear choices from the plot devices to the Dutch angles (who doesn't love a Dutch angle??) and know how to keep the pace just right. They do both their budget and cast/crew an absolute herculean service and I feel that, with some more money in the bank, they could really make a splash into the mainstream and independent movie sphere, if this movie is anything to look up to as a guide to where they can go.

Like I said, it is on a budget with relative unknowns across the crew, but when you hold this up to a few questionable horror movies of the last few years ( not at all looking in your direction.... Pooh: Blood and Honey) it's actually a taut, nerve inducing little horror that plays to its strengths and knows the lay of the land it's traveling.

My only quibble really (and that is judging the film on its own merits) is that the 2nd act did feel like there was something left on the cutting room floor, as if 15 minutes of footage had been shaved off to save on run time, it just jumps very quickly from one set of building stakes to 'oh, we are here now then'. With that said, having seen some of the negative reviews on here I would say give it your own verdict before you read their reviews - some people appear to just want to write negative reviews for the sake of being negative.

So, for an independent little British horror, I would give it a solid 8/10 - think Eden Lake, only less rude boy youths and more Jason Voorhees (only, it's better than all the Friday the 13th's - he went to space right??)

Please note anyone giving this over a 1 is obviously something to do with the production because believe me this is absolutely terrible, the acting is poor the story is poor the whole thing is terrible, save yourself some time and watch anything else. I am a big horror movie fan and don't mind low budget what I do mind is no story and absolute sub par actors. And that's what this garbage is. Hopefully they will improve but i just can't see it. The worst character/actor is the main guy who's supposed to be menacing and scary but just comes across as irritating and not scary in the slightest a sad sloppy character.