Featured Image Credit: Lionsgate
Topics: Horror, Rotten Tomatoes, Film and TV
Emily Brown
Fans of a chilling noughties horror movie have been left so disappointed by a new reboot that they've actually threatened to walk out of movie theaters.
From long-awaited sequels like Top Gun: Maverick to live-action adaptations from Disney, it seems like there's always some form of franchise reboot going on nowadays.
The projects tend to spark mixed reactions as some fans welcome the chance to return to the beloved worlds, while others think they should be left well alone.
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Unfortunately for one new horror reboot, a lot of viewers are falling into the second category.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 arrived in theaters last month, marking the return to the chilling movie series that began with The Strangers in 2008.
The original movie received middling reviews of 49 percent on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer, but that didn't stop people from flooding to see it, and it racked up $82 million from a $9 million budget.
Starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, The Strangers followed a couple expecting a relaxing weekend away, only to find themselves terrorized by a group of strangers wearing terrifying masks.
Fast forward 16 years, and the franchise returned with Riverdale actor Madelaine Petsch in a starring role alongside Froy Gutierrez.
The new movie follows a similar premise as their two characters are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin after their car breaks down. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that it's not exactly a quiet night in.
While it follows a similar formula to the original film, The Strangers: Chapter 1 has been hit with criticism from some viewers who took to Reddit to share their thoughts.
"It was the first movie I've ever considered walking out of," one critic commented. "The protagonists were the dumbest, most annoying characters I've ever seen in a movie."
Another agreed, writing: "I really like the first one, haven’t seen the second one, and somehow had managed to not see a single trailer for this one - I went in expecting bad but holy s**t it was worse than I thought it would be."
The reboot has received a score of just 22 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting the critics on Reddit aren't alone in their disappointment.
That being said, there are some people who enjoyed The Strangers: Chapter 1, and in fact even preferred it to the original movies.
One person wrote: "The Strangers: Chapter 1 is brilliant. Madelaine and Froy deliver a phenomenal performance.
"Their chemistry is one of the highlights of the movie. Enjoyed every bit of it. Don’t let certain reviews put you off as it’s really good!"
For those who have enjoyed the reboot, they'll be glad to know that there are even more instalments in store in the future.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is part of a trilogy which has already been filmed, with the next two movies set to be released in the coming months.