How is it possible that, after so many years of fame, Liv Tyler still has the same sweet, doe-eyed look of innocence that she had more than a decade ago? Whatever it is she's doing, it's working for her. And that innocence helps sell the fear in The Strangers, another "inspired by true events" horror film, which ... it just keeps getting more and more unsettling to live in the world, don't you think? Liv Tyler and her fiancée, Scott Speedman, live in a scary, dark farmhouse with a creaky swing set. They're happy and in love (there are rose petals and champagne, so you know this is the case). No sooner does he present her with a ring than the creepiness begins, with a loud bang followed by the creaking of the swings. The winsome lovers tell themselves it's nothing, but because this is a scary movie, we know they're fooling themselves. Speedman starts to worry since they haven't heard anything: not so much as a dog bark or a car passing by. Then we see Liv standing in the kitchen unaware that a guy with a white mask looking very much like a Gentleman is standing behind her, gazing at her in silence. It would be scarier if it weren't completely ridiculous-looking. Liv cries to Scott that there's someone out there and then we confirm it by seeing a woman in the same sort of white mask lurking in the garage. Then another one in the street. Of course, Scott hasn't seen one yet, so he remains a firm skeptic. Then a record starts playing on its own, Scott's cell phone ends up in the fire, a window is covered with the word "hello" (written in, I don't know ... lipstick?), and he decides they have to get out of that place. I'm more than a little annoyed it took them this long, but I've never been in a scary movie, so who am I to judge? Just as they're about to leave, an axe breaks through their door. It's always right when they wise up that the bad stuff starts to happen. We end with the three masked figures standing in the living room in front of Liv and Scott, who are sitting on the couch. I can't tell if it's supposed to scare me or look like a weird costume party, but then we hear Liv ask, "Why are you doing this to us?" and a girl replies, "Because you were home." Ok, so now we know there isn't a reason. Which gives us no reason to bother going to see it.

Reviews by People Who've Actually Seen It:
Variety
Rotten Tomatoes