After three years and two mediocre films, the reboot trilogy nobody asked for finally comes to an end. The Strangers: Chapter 3 is presented as the epic conclusion to the story of Maya, a young woman who has been terrorized by serial killers in a small Oregon town. While it (literally) repeats some of the same elements from the previous films, it also takes enough risks to earn the distinction of being the best since the original.
Picking up where Chapter 2 left off, the film follows Maya as she attempts to escape the mysterious figures in the "Scarecrow" and "Dollface" masks after killing the person in the "Pin-Up Girl" mask. Unsurprisingly, she doesn't get very far before being captured. But instead of killing her, the two remaining strangers take her with them on a new killing spree. Filled with rage and exposed to even more violence, it's not long before Maya is presented with a choice that could change her life forever—a choice complicated by the arrival of her sister and brother-in-law in town looking for her.
Unlike the previous two films, this one focuses less on being a chamber piece or an origin story with a lot of exposition, and more on being a thriller. In the film's 90-minute runtime, there are more kills and much more development of the main character, which makes you wonder why this wasn't the story the filmmakers wanted to tell from the beginning.
Chapter 3 poses the simple question: Is evil contagious? While it's an interesting idea, it's not entirely original. Most horror fans will remember that David Gordon Green tackled a similar theme in his Halloween trilogy. However, its exploration through Maya is quite compelling. Maya has every reason to want revenge. But does committing that revenge put her on the same level as The Strangers, or is it the mere thought of doing so that has already changed her? Early in the film, it seems there's a whole journey ahead to see this idea explored through Maya.
Madeleine Petsch finally shines as Maya in this film, delivering such a commanding screen presence that it feels like her character was played by someone else in the first two movies. Gabriel Basso also deserves praise for his portrayal of Gregory, a mysterious young man who is continuously hinted at as one of the masked assailants. With very few lines of dialogue, he manages to convey a great deal through his body language. Unfortunately, the film is so preoccupied with trying to tie up the loose ends of the series that the cat-and-mouse game between the two characters feels somewhat underdeveloped. Make no mistake: the film has a definitive ending, but it doesn't feel satisfying considering all the build-up.
Renny Harlin's direction is another highlight. It's not that the film is action-packed, but there's an undeniable energy and enthusiasm behind the camera that is reminiscent of some of his bolder projects. Perhaps this is due to the freedom afforded to him by the mid-production script restructuring, this being his last film (for now). The over-the-top and excessive third act is particularly reminiscent of Mindhunters, so sprawling and unserious that it injects a much-needed element of entertainment into the story.
Whether you're a horror fan or someone who has already seen the first two films, the bottom line is that The Strangers: Chapter 3 is the best of the series. While that's not saying much, it proves that there was and still is a lot of potential in this concept. Ironically, as the entire franchise's premise demonstrates, the outcome depends on who you let in.
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