THE STRANGERS

Macramé's scarier

By DAVID WILDMAN

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Let's salute the creators of The Strangers for their great public service: This film could single-handedly put an end to the practice of thrill killing. That's because it makes the act of murder look more boring and tedious than macramé. The Strangers could even be used in prisons as a method of rehabilitation. No one is going to want to kill anybody ever again after sitting through this potpourri of pedestrian gotcha! moments and Liv Tyler histrionics. The gimmick is that, unbeknownst to the potential victims, we see axe-wielding maniacs hanging around the house. They strike a menacing pose, then amble away. It's silly; the killers are only there to frighten the audience. It's mostly like the actors stumbled onto the set at the wrong time, looking foolish. The makers of The Strangers have forgotten that what you can't see is always scarier than what you can. This film is much more frightening if you don't watch it.

THE STRANGERS

RATED | R

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