Many a horror hound was hugely impressed (and terrified!) by 2008’s The Strangers. In the subsequent years, those same fans would get all kinds of excited about the regular chat of a sequel to Bryan Bertino’s film happening – only to end up disappointed as those stories came to nothing. Now though, the long-awaited follow-up is finally here and anticipation is high. So, is it up to the hype, or is this yet another horror sequel that can be labelled a generic, unneeded effort that is merely cashing in on an existing property that has some semblance of fanfare behind it?

The Strangers: Prey at Night opens up by highlighting a regular, run-of-the-mill nuclear family consisting of mother Cindy (Christina Hendricks), father Mike (Martin Henderson), son Luke (Lewis Pullman), and daughter Kinsey (Bailee Madison). While terror is lurking around the corner for this unsuspecting family unit, it’s immediately established that they have their own problems way before their inevitable run in with the Man in the Mask, Dollface, and Pin Up Girl. You see, young Kinsey has taken her teenage angst to such extremes that her parents have decided that the only suitable option is to ship her off to boarding school. Unfortunately, that comes at a price, and thus the family are in financial difficulties as a result of all of this; difficulties for which elder brother Luke resents his sister for. Before Kinsey is delivered to her new school, the family decide to embark on a trip to their aunt and uncle’s trailer park. Unbeknownst to them, the trio of masked killers have already taken up temporary residence there and will be awaiting them and making them fight for their very existence. Like the original film, the narrative here is one of survival, but can our protagonists fare better than Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman’s doomed couple of that first movie?

While the thought of a decade-long wait for a first sequel may cause some a little concern, The Strangers: Prey at Night is a follow-up that you need not worry about. With this sequel, director Johannes Roberts – likely best known for genre efforts such as F, The Other Side of the Door, and 47 Meters Down – has managed to successfully combine elements of the original movie with his own bold and brash sensibilities. That original, of course, was masterful in its delicate slow burn, and here Roberts allows the first half of the movie to slowly unravel before jumpstarting the picture through a pulsating second half.

Here, we have a horror film that is stylish, frenetic, and seriously intense once our poor family unit comes face to face with the trio of motiveless sorts who are intent on their demise. In terms of the actual scares, they vary from subtle to in-your-face brash. Roberts and his team channel slasher classics of yesteryear while a large dollop of shimmering John Carpenter sheen is applied to the action (with Carpenter’s Christine a particularly clear influence), and penetrating zooms and hard cuts help push this emotional roller coaster of a horror ride along from silent stalking to utterly brutal killing. In amongst said action, there’s a moment that stands up as one of the very best set pieces in modern horror, as a surreal neon-lighted swimming pool locale sees a brutal, bloody battle play out as Bonnie Tyler’s A Total Eclipse of the Heart belts out at full volume. Maybe it really wasn’t all that wise to turn around, eh bright eyes?

As was the case with the first film, there’s an almost childlike element to the Strangers themselves in how they like to torment their prey in all sorts of twisted ways, and that lends itself to some truly edge-of-your-seat moments that will have you flinching and gasping for breath as this proverbial cat and mouse game plays out. Like its predecessor, Prey at Night is an undeniably traumatic viewing experience at times, although this time there’s a little more energy and hope given to proceedings. Similarly, we get a slightly wider-spread landscape for action thanks to the trailer park locale loosening some of the relative constrictions and restrictions placed on the singular cabin-in-the-woods location of the first film.

With dread and utter despair at every turn – all overseen by a fantastic soundtrack that similarly has its roots in the ‘80s – The Strangers: Prey at Night is one of the best horrors to come along in years, and one that will stay with you for a long time afterwards.

THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT / CERT: 15 / DIRECTOR: JOHANNES ROBERTS / SCREENPLAY: BRYAN BERTINO, BEN KETAI / STARRING: CHRISTINA HENDRICKS, MARTIN HENDERSON, BAILEE MADISON, LEWIS PULLMAN / RELEASE DATE: MAY 4TH

Expecting Rating: 6 out of 10