The Strangers: Prey at Night

There are the usual problems of characters doing stupid things – because it seems to be the right of passage for most horror films – but the demise of the stupid characters is just kind of fun enough to ignore their silliness. At just over an hour and fifteen minutes this is an enjoyable thrill ride, and you don't even need to see the first film to be able to appreciate the woozy thrills of this one. Walk in without many expectations and you'll find yourselves quite surprised by the bloody delights it offers.

This film's inoffensive unoriginality is a reminder that Hollywood willfully abets the tired landscape by churning out a dozen identical sequels

The highlight in this otherwise pedantic slasher fest is a scene near the swimming pool. Luke the brother gets stabbed by the Man in the Mask and the camera does a Michael Mann style intimate capture of the whole scene with splashing water, blood and emotions. Bonnie Tyler's 80s hit number, Total Eclipse of the Heart plays in the background and the sequence just feels surreal. The cinematography and the production design create the right atmosphere for the scares. But for all its technical finesse, this 85-minute film feels a little too long.

This horror sequel is a throwback to the old-fashioned thrillers of the 1980s, but without the wit, scares or humour to warrant a recommendation.

At the end, the film does manage to keep you at the edge of your seat as you empathise with the plight of the victims.