Explore your worst fears with this shocking suspense thriller inspired by disturbing true events.

After a 4 a.m. knock at the door and a haunting voice, Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler, The Leftovers) and James Hoyt (Scott Speedman, Underworld) find that their remote getaway becomes a night of psychological terror as three masked strangers invade. Faced with inscrutable tormentors, Kristen and James must go beyond what they think they’re able to endure if they have any hope to survive.

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Video Quality

The Strangers has been given a new 4K UHD Blu-Ray for the Unrated Cut in 2160p/Dolby Vision courtesy of Scream Factory which offers a welcome uptick in quality over the accompanying Blu-Ray discs previously released by the label in 2018. The new release is derived from a 4K presentation of the original Digital Intermediate. The difference is not always night and day with this transfer, but this is undeniably the ideal way to view the movie. This 4K UHD presentation delights with strong gains in clarity throughout the feature. The domestic production design is explored in impeccable depth along with the bloody makeup effects which are accentuated in all of their disturbing glory with this transfer. You will also find more refined textures in some of the clothing along with elements of the production design.

The upgrade that dazzles the most comes from the utilization of Dolby Vision to achieve the greatest degree of accuracy in the palette. With this film in particular, a strong handling of the contrast is vital. Black levels are a gift in this presentation, staying deep and inky with more detail than ever. Most of the film takes place in shadows or at night, and on this disc, these scenes are more crisp and expertly delineated. The highlights in the film are dialed in perfectly with whites pure and balanced with no instances of blooming that we noticed. The fleeting instances of compression artifacts and banding present on the Blu-Ray are eliminated with this 4K UHD disc. The Blu-Ray is decent enough, but Scream Factory allows the feature to look its best on this 4K UHD release.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray release delivers a mighty DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 lossless track that deftly brings this story to life. Compared to many of its ilk, The Strangers is a quiet beast with the calm of late night washing over the picture and the terror developing in the lingering dread of figures quietly skulking around inside and outside of the house. When it comes time for them to be known, the track could not be more commanding with the booming knocks at the front door pulsing through your body with every rapt at the door. Kinetic sequences in the second and third acts have a dynamic sound design that packs a punch. This disc showcases the chilling developments with nuance and clarity.

The track engages all channels with sound effects and ambient noise that push the level of immersion to unbearable heights. As Kristen walks throughout the house, the surround speakers deliver a three-dimensional experience that grounds you in the spacce. The music and the score solidifies the atmosphere with unwavering fidelity. Dialogue flows clearly in the center channel without getting clipped by the music or any sound effects. The activity in the low end is substantial when it counts and never comes up short. Scream Factory delievers a terrific audio experience for this film. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Theatrical Cut (1:25:07 – Blu-Ray Only) and Unrated Version (1:27:28)

Disc Two (Theatrical Version)

The Element of Terror: A nine-minute archival featurette in which the cast and creative figures discuss the elements that go into creating a “terror film” including the production design, the sound design, the makeup effects, and more.

Strangers at the Door: A ten-minute piece in which the cast and creative team discuss the project, what makes it unique, why it is so effective, and more.

Deleted Scenes: A five-minute selection of unused footage is provided.

Theatrical Trailer & TV Spot: A three-minute selection of trailers and TV Spots is provided.

Disc Three (Unrated Version)

Defining Moments – Writing & Directing The Strangers: A 30-minute interview with director Bryan Bertino in which he discusses his background and love of horror movies, his inspiration for the story, how the movie came to be, the casting of Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, bringing personality to the masked characters, the evolution of horror over the years, how this film launched his career, and more.

All The Right Moves – Kip Weeks On Playing The Man In the Mask: A 12-minute interview with the performer in which he discusses his audition for the film, how horror films differ from other genres, developing a personality for his masked character, gaining inspiration from gorillas, and more.

Brains and Brawn – Laura Margolis On Playing Pin-Up Girl: A 14-minute interview with the performer in which she discusses working with director Bryan Bertino, her unique part in the audition process, developing a menacing presence, her memorable first encounter with Liv Tyler, how an early cut of the film was changed for the final version, and more.

Deep Cuts – Kevin Greutert on Editing The Strangers: A 21-minute interview with the editor in which he discusses his career with the Saw films, working on The Strangers, the evolution of the film in the edit, collaborating with Bryan Bertino, the initial reactions to test screenings, tweaks that were made to the theatrical cut, and more.

Still Gallery

Final Thoughts

The Strangers is one of the greatest home invasion horror films thanks to the patience it takes to establish the threat and sit in a quiet moment rather than succumb to expectations of the genre. The dread of knowing that there is someone in the house and toying with our main characters stretches out the tension to unbelievable levels. Of course, you have some character decisions that make you want to scream in frustration, and the character of James has some obnoxious qualities, but you still care about their ultimate fate and want the best for them. The formula for this should be so simple, but the execution here is something special. Scream Factory has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation along with some cool special features. If you love the film as much as we do, this is a must-own. Highly Recommended

The Strangers is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Scream Factory has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.