And We Did Find Out- The Strangers: Chapter Two

“Is Tamara Here?”

Through three films, those three simple words have been the slogan that defined The Strangers franchise.  And through those three films, we have been left with only the ambiguity of that name.  Who is Tamara?  What is her significance?  Why do these psychopaths continue to ask for her?

Well wonder no longer, as Renny Harlin’s second chapter in his trilogy answers the question, though I’ll leave it to you to decide if the answer is satisfactory.

The Prequel, Sequel, or Requel…Continues

In the aftermath of the butchering of fiancees Maya and Ryan, the homicidal rampage continues, claiming a diner patron.  Good to know that the small town of Venus takes murders seriously, but we’ll file that under incompetent policing.

During an evening dinner break, the Sheriff and his Deputy let slip that Maya survived, and is receiving care at the town’s hospital.  In a sequence of events that looks very similar to Halloween II (1981), Maya is hunted throughout the hospital by Sack Head.  And after escaping, she is unsure who to trust, opting instead to make her way around the woods.

Spliced in to this story, we have flashbacks to a trio of children at a Bible camp.  As a poor mouse discovers, one of the girls is a bit of a psychopath!  And one of the boys seems to like that about her!  Though I won’t just spill the beans on Tamara’s identity, she’s never gonna be present.

So Is This Any Good?

Long or short, my answer will be the same: NO!  Tamara’s identity is meaningful, at least in a symbolic way, but the town seems stuck in the Twilight Zone.  Unsolved murders are just the tip of the iceberg when the town’s hospital can be wiped out, and there’s no urgency to call in help.

Characters show up just to be killed off moments later.  Even Tamara’s identity is hinted at as something the town understands, but no one ever explains it to Maya.  No, they just find an excuse to change the conversation.

Apparently “Sack Head” and “Pin-up Girl” are sweet on one another; once you understand this, you can guess that they were the strange kids at the Bible Camp.

During the credits we are given a glimpse into what will transpire in The Strangers: Chapter 3.  It’s not enough for me to recommend what was a boring film in my opinion, but I look forward to hearing other opinions.

Until then, JK away!