The Strangers franchise has been a bit of an anomaly in the world of slashers. Despite the original film's intentional minimalist design, Hollywood desperately craves this trio of home invaders to be the next Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees. Even if this franchise ambition led to the original film's downfall (the weak ending and sequel hook do an unfortunately great job of removing so much of director Bryan Bertino's bite), Hollywood just can't help themselves.

After the original film's release in 2008 and its mostly disconnected sequel ten years later, The Strangers is back one more time with not just one film but an ambitious plan of a trilogy that's already shot and ready to go when Lionsgate feels prepared to. Frankly, this trilogy idea was so bizarre to me that I felt undeniably drawn to what precisely these films had in store. After all, I'm a sucker for slashers and particularly dumb but ambitious ones at that. The David Gordon Green Halloween Trilogy is a messy but fascinating display of DGG's indie style displayed across a maximalist horror blockbuster package. Judging by the trailers, it seems clear that Lionsgate and director Renny Harlin see potential in this multi-film idea, but with The Strangers: Chapter One, we're left with a film devoid of ideas and an overreliance on what the future may hold to stand on its own two feet.

The set-up to Strangers: Chapter One is simple. A couple from New York City take on a road trip for their fifth anniversary, but early on in their journey, they become trapped in a small rural town with a whole host of strange (heh) and uncharitable characters. Due to their car breaking down and needing to stay the night in this unusual town, our couple end up in a secluded house deep in the forest and slowly end up in a sick game with our titular trio of Strangers. While the town is a new angle for the series, it doesn't take long before Chapter One finds too much comfort in the familiar.

By the time we reach the second act, we find ourselves with yet another home invasion film that takes practically every beat from the original Strangers entry and retells them with none of the formal elegance that Bryan Bertino initially brought to the screen. We have the knocking on the door, a whole lot of menacing standing and even an accidental death. If you've seen the first film (especially if it was somewhat recently), you'll immediately find yourself bored with what's on display.

For those not as familiar with the Strangers series, the chances of this being a particularly captivating or terrifying time at the movies will likely find themselves disappointed with what's on-screen here. Even 14 years after the original film, we're still left performing the same beats that its original sequel and the many copycats that followed have already beaten to death. Without anything new to add, The Strangers: Chapter One simply exists as a lazy entry that feels more like a means to an end for a studio holding onto the IP for dear life rather than a meaningful new entry that takes the series to bolder places.

But remember The Strangers: Chapter One is not just one film. It's an entire trilogy that is, by design, meant to be displayed as one singular movie. The script is a 280-page behemoth, and with only 90 minutes of this story being presented so far, we have no idea where this might be going. As exciting and speculatory as this could be, the fundamental problem with The Strangers: Chapter One's narrative design is a complete misunderstanding of excitement and intrigue. When we reach the end credits, we have a couple of loose threads and a sudden cliffhanger that leaves you more frustrated than excited about what's to come next. While I see myself watching the trilogy out of morbid curiosity, it's hard to see many others in the audience showing up for chapters two and three, and that's understandable. When your first chapter is derivative, lazy and utterly devoid of originality, why should we show up for what's next?

The Strangers: Chapter One is a strong example of studio horror at its worst. With a complete lack of fresh ideas and the bizarre ambition to drag out its creative bankruptcy across three cheaply made films, it's the kind of thing that brings the wider horror genre down. At the end of the day, this exists as another desperate attempt to make this series into the next major horror franchise. Is there potential for that idea? I guess so. Under this creative vision, though? It's got no chance.