Rogue PicturesA Review in a Hurry: Sure, Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman are both easy on the eyes, but in this flick, it's what you don't see that will freak you out. A knock at the door has never been this terrifying.
The Bigger Picture: After a night out, James Hoyt (Speedman) and Kristen McKay (Tyler) decide to spend the night at his parents' middle-of-nowhere house in the woods. Um, OK. But a planned evening of nooky gets kooky once a stranger comes a knockin' at 4 a.m.
This unseen visitor asks "Is Tamara home?" and James replies "no." Wrong answer. And what follows—based on the "true events" of a couple found mysteriously dead in such a house—is as scary as anything since the first Hostel.
What exactly is it about the strangers who arrive at the house that makes them so unnerving? Is it those random noises that are just out of reach? The creepy masks? The insanely patient way they just stand outside just waiting for Tyler to let her guard down? Yeah, it's all of it.
With very little dialogue the big scares arrive via the terrific sound design, which includes the aforementioned bumps in the night and a way-too-creepy use of old vinyl tunes. A few moments feel a bit forced (an old radio in the shed that might be used to call for help—seriously?) But overall, this is Terror 101 with Tyler's screams earning her an A for Aaaaaagghh!
The 180—a Second Opinion: While Liv can scream, neither she nor Speedman is bringing their A-game to this. Tyler's still more effective at playing an elf than a girl next door.