Displaying items by tag: Renny Harlin

THE STRANGERS. CHAPTER 2

US, 2025, 98 minutes, Colour.

Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Richard  Brake, Pedro Leandro.

Directed by Renny Harlin.

This is very much an interim film. Chapter 1 was released in 2023 – a remake of a well-received menace horror film, The Strangers from 2008.

The focus is on a young woman, Maya, played by Madelaine Petsch. She and her husband were menaced by a group of strangers, wearing masks, unexplained. The focus was on menace and terror. And, similarly, the death of the couple at the end of chapter 1.

Chapter 2 begins with the masked group, their continuing to menace, the discovery that Maya had survived. For the first third of the film they are in desperate pursuit of Maya, the screenplay full of menace, full of vicious attacks, Maya going to the hospital, a mysterious absence of the staff, the strangers coming in to attack her, her escape – and whole series of escapes chases, the strangers catching up with her, her going out into the woods, surviving, an extraordinary encounter with a vicious boar (very similar to that of the boar hunting by Rachel McAdams in Send Help). There are also mysterious strangers, Maya hiding in cars, getting a lift and escaping, fearfully, a number of those challenging her or threatening her killed by the strangers.

There is also the presence of the sheriff from the first film and his assistant, investigating, but also suspicious.

Interspersed throughout are mysterious flashbacks to children at school, also with a great sense of menace.

Ultimately, Maya is rescued by the mysterious group in the car – but, as with so many of the characters, they are attacked by the strangers – though Maya is able to kill one of them and his mother was removed.

The sudden ending and the caption, To be Continued…

THE STRANGERS – CHAPTER 3

US, 2026, 91 minutes, Colour.

Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Emma Horvath, Richard Brake, Hannah Galway, Rachel Shenton, George Young, Pedro Leandro.

Directed by Renny Harlin.

The Strangers, Chapter 3 continues the narrative from the first two chapters but also has some explanations from the past.

There is a prologue set three years earlier than the present, a young woman coming to the motel, given a fatal room, the three killers with their masks coming to her room, abducting her, killing her.

Meanwhile, in the present Maya continues her attempts at escape from the masked killers. Once again she is very resourceful but becomes the victim, not only of the sheriff, but also of the masked Gregory, get caught up in the sinister events, take refuge in a caravan which is attacked, the husband killed, the sister abducted and killed in front of Maya.

There are further complications when Maya is taken and an innocent couple in the motel room are confronted with the trio, but Maya able to stand one of the killers. Gregory, putting her mask on Maya, Maya to stand in for the young woman.

There is also a sequence when Maya, mourning the death of Shelley, unmasked.

In the second part, there was some explanation of Gregory and his partner, flashbacks to school days. This time there are more explicit flashbacks, a young Gregory killing, partnering with Shelley, his father the sheriff covering up with the guarantee that nobody local was killed. There is also a scene where Gregory and his associate invade a hotel room, intending to kill a couple, only to find that the woman has killed her flirting boyfriend. She dons a mask and becomes one of the group.

There is a buildup to the finale, Maya entering the tunnels and finding the sheriff, who has stabbed his deputy who has worked out what is happening, sitting in his cabin, listening to religious broadcasts. Maya advances through the tunnels, into Gregory’s shrine, building up to a final confrontation, Gregory and now Maya pretending she loves him and then killing him.

THE BRICKLAYER

US, 2023, 110 minutes, Colour.

Aaron Eckhart, Nina Dobrev, Clifton Collins Jr, Tim Blake Nelson, Oliver Trevino, Ilfenesh Hadera.

Directed by Renny Harlin.

This action thriller is based on the novel by former Marine and FBI agent for 20 years, Paul Lindsay, writing under the name of Noah Boyd. The screenplay has changed the agency from the FBI to the CIA.

Renny Harlin has made action thrillers for several decades, especially Die Hard 2. There is quite a mixed quality to his work. The action sequences are very strong – even though Aaron Eckhart is the hero, bricklayer, agent, is able to defeat all kinds of tough opponents, though in one sequence succumbing to just one of them! However, Eckhart is strong and tough in the role.

The villain is seen at the opening, Clifton Collins Jr, a disaffected agent, turning Road, wanting to expose the CIA and its many tentacles in Western cultures, secret assassinations…

The central character is a very prim, first, agent played by Nina Dobrev who accompanies the bricklayer to Greece where the action takes place. Quite a number of complications, assassination of journals, a political assassination attempt, a final confrontation between hero and villain despite a bonding in the past.

Tim Blake Nelson is the CIA boss.

More or less as expected.

1. The title? The cover for the CIA agent? His explanation of his liking the work, precision, well fitting?
2. The CIA, action throughout the world? Attitudes Western countries? Covert operations? Assassinations and targeting? Reactions?
3. The realism of the screenplay? Or far-fetched?
4. The opening, the journalist, Victor Radek, his purpose, her reporting, the photos and or sitter? Shooting her? The next journalist on the list? The group politician on the list? His making a case, disrepute of the CIA?
5. The introduction to Steve Vail, Philadelphia, working on the building, the bricks, precision? Contact O’Malley? The meeting with Kate? The explanation of the situation? His decision to go to Greece, with Kate?
6. The subtext of Miles Davis, music, records, the gift from Victor Radek, Tye with the collection of records, indication of her guilt?
7. Kate, her CIA work, the office, re-examining the photos, discovering Radek?
8. The flight, the interactions between the two, her self-importance, professional, his attitudes, Frieda? The arrival, posing as husband and wife, the hotel, the range of surveilance? Going to meet Patricio, his skills, the vehicle, IT and tech?
9. She’s three, to the social, meeting with Tye, the past relationship, the discussions, her being bureau chief? The later encounters with her, at the apartment, the music?
10. The attack on the journalist and the square, the protesters, Constantine and his speeches, Radek and his communication with Vail, motivations, memories, the death of his family? The decoy and Vail following, the shooting? The escape, the pursuit, talking with Radek?
11. Vail and his visiting the club, the thug and his respectability, the fights? The credibility of Vail and his ability to conquer so many attackers? Yet in the office, his being overcome? The dangers for Kate, her involvement, with the vehicles? And the use of tracking devices?
12. Vail, the memories and flashbacks with Radek, his family, his job is with the CIA, the promised to transfer his family, the Russians, the killing his family? Vail, the deal with Radek that he could disappear?
13. The car chase, Radek’s escape, with the camera on the building, male or knocking it, the assassination attempt failing? Konstantin and his change of attitude, rescued by the CIA?
14. Final confrontations, Radek’s death, the suspicions about O’Malley, the vast transfer of the bid calling? Vail and his suspicions, going to Tye, the confrontation, her death?
15. The end, the interview with Kate and O’Malley, his being upset about suspicions, offer of promotion to Kate, her refusal? And Vail going back to his bricklaying?

THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1 

US, 2024, 91 minutes, Colour.

Madeleine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Ryan Brown, Richard Brake, Ema Horvath.

Directed by Renny Harlin.

Already in 2008, with a sequel in 2018, this story of home invasion, The Strangers, created by Bryan Bertino, had become a small successful franchise about home invasion, terror from masked  intruders – with a touch of slasher.

The story is reprised here, allegedly based on a true story but the writer indicating that he was drawing on episodes from his town while growing up. This time the decision was made to make three films, three chapters, somewhat akin to a miniseries on television but several months in between release.

Even to those who have not seen the original films, the material is fairly familiar, a young couple celebrating five years together, travelling through Oregon to a job appointment, on a side road, a small town with some suspicious if not sinister characters, a diner, a garage manager, their car breaking down, accommodation giving them in an empty house in the woods. Just the setting for home invasion!

The masked intruders are direly sinister, grimacing smiles on their masks, suddenly appearing and disappearing, and increasing menace, the couple escaping out into the woods but being caught, some vicious torments, death…

And the young woman finally seen in hospital recovering… And the audience deciding how much they want to see the next chapters when they are released. For terror fans, always interesting. But for the wider audience, something of a take it or leave it attitude.

1. The stories previously filmed, successful? Remakes? In three parts?
2. A terror story rather than horror?
3. The opening, the businessman, in the wilds, the attack, axe wielding, his death?
4. Maya and Ryan, five years together, driving through Oregon, to Portland, her job? Their chatter? Audience interest in them? Off the main road, the kiss and the near accident? Arriving in Venus, the garage, the diner, Ryan and his superior manner, Maya making peace, Shelley and her giving them the lift, the manager of the garage, the car not starting, Ryan saying it was a scam, Maya’s reaction, the information about the B&B?
5. At the B&B, content, the knocking on the door, and in shadow, the further noises, Ryan taking the bike to the diner to get food, the reaction of the locals? Maya, having the shower, the noises, the woman at the door, sense of presence, seeing a person in a mask, Ryan returning?
6. The buildup of atmosphere, sudden noises and shocks, people in the house, Ryan, the gun, shooting the electrician by mistake, the reaction, the men, the women all with masks, capturing Ryan and injuring him, his telling Maya to go into the woods, her hiding, the pursuance, catching her, tying her up, Ryan stabbed, her being stabbed?
7. My having called the police, the three strangers disappearing in their car?
8. Maya, recovering in hospital? Sufficient audience interest to want to know what happened?