The Strangers: Prey at Night (2018) is the sequel to the chilling 2008 home invasion thriller The Strangers. Directed by Johannes Roberts, the film trades the isolated countryside horror of the first movie for a neon-lit, retro-infused suburban nightmare. This time, the story revolves around a family on a road trip who find themselves hunted by the same masked killers.
Detailed Summary
The Setup: A Family Road Trip Gone Wrong
The film follows the Wilson family—parents Cindy (Christina Hendricks) and Mike (Martin Henderson), teenage son Luke (Lewis Pullman), and rebellious daughter Kinsey (Bailee Madison). The family is on a road trip to drop Kinsey off at boarding school, hoping that the change will fix her bad behavior. Tension between Kinsey and her parents runs high, creating a sense of unease even before the horror begins.
They plan to stay the night at a secluded mobile home park owned by relatives. However, upon arrival, the place seems eerily empty. As darkness falls, a knock at the door shatters the quiet.
The Knock: “Is Tamara Home?”
A mysterious young woman with a blank expression and wearing a doll-like mask appears, asking, “Is Tamara home?” The family brushes it off as a lost stranger, but soon, they realize something isn’t right. The same girl returns later, asking the exact same question—this time, the lights are off, and her tone is more menacing.
From here, the night spirals into chaos.
The Hunt Begins
The family discovers that their phones are destroyed, the car has been sabotaged, and their relatives have been murdered. The masked trio—The Dollface, The Man in the Mask, and The Pin-Up Girl—begin stalking them through the trailer park. Each attacker wears an emotionless mask, embodying the film’s core theme: senseless violence.
Cindy and Mike try to protect their children, but the killers’ methods are relentless and strategic. The sense of hopelessness mirrors the first movie, emphasizing how randomness makes the terror even more horrifying.
The Pool Scene: A Neon Nightmare
In one of the film’s most memorable sequences, Luke faces off against The Man in the Mask in a glowing neon-lit pool while “Total Eclipse of the Heart” blares in the background. The scene is simultaneously eerie and stylish—an example of director Roberts’s 80s-horror homage. Luke manages to stab the killer multiple times, but not before being badly wounded himself.
Movie Ending
As the night nears its end, Kinsey becomes the final survivor. She helps her injured brother and hides in an abandoned house, but The Dollface tracks her down. In a desperate struggle, Kinsey grabs a shotgun and kills her attacker. Thinking it’s over, she rushes to a nearby road, where a pickup truck approaches. But inside is The Man in the Mask, somehow still alive.
He rams her car multiple times in a brutal showdown. Kinsey manages to set the truck on fire and escapes, watching it explode with the killer inside—apparently ending the nightmare.
However, in a final moment of dread, Kinsey later visits Luke in the hospital. As they recover from their injuries, she hears a sudden knock at the door—three slow, familiar knocks, echoing the same sound from earlier. The screen cuts to black, suggesting that the killers might still be alive or that the terror will never truly end.
Are There Post-Credits Scenes?
No, there are no post-credits scenes in The Strangers: Prey at Night. However, the ambiguous ending leaves the door open (literally and figuratively) for another sequel.
Type of Movie
This is a slasher horror thriller with strong influences from 1980s horror films. It mixes survival horror, psychological tension, and stylized visuals to deliver a blend of brutality and nostalgia.
Cast
- Christina Hendricks as Cindy Wilson
- Martin Henderson as Mike Wilson
- Bailee Madison as Kinsey Wilson
- Lewis Pullman as Luke Wilson
- Damian Maffei as The Man in the Mask
- Lea Enslin as Dollface
- Emma Bellomy as Pin-Up Girl
Film Music and Composer
The score was composed by Adrian Johnston, who uses synth-heavy, 80s-style tracks to amplify the film’s retro vibe. The soundtrack also includes recognizable songs such as:
- “Kids in America” – Kim Wilde
- “Total Eclipse of the Heart” – Bonnie Tyler
- “Live It Up” – Mental As Anything
These upbeat songs contrast eerily with the on-screen violence, creating a surreal sense of irony.
Filming Locations
The movie was filmed in Covington, Kentucky, particularly in a real trailer park that was transformed into the film’s eerie set. The isolated location plays a key role—it heightens the feeling of vulnerability and gives the killers free rein to toy with their victims without interruption.
Awards and Nominations
The film didn’t win major awards but received several nominations in horror community circles, particularly for:
- Best Horror Sequel at the Fright Meter Awards (2018)
- Best Scene (Pool Fight) recognized by horror fans and critics alike
Behind the Scenes Insights
- Director Johannes Roberts wanted a John Carpenter–style feel, using practical lighting and synthesizer music.
- The movie’s pool scene took three nights to shoot and required underwater choreography.
- Bailee Madison performed many of her own stunts.
- Damian Maffei, who played The Man in the Mask, stayed in character during filming to maintain the unnerving atmosphere.
- The script was written years earlier but shelved until Besson’s EuropaCorp revived it as a sequel.
Inspirations and References
The movie draws direct inspiration from John Carpenter’s Halloween, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and Christine—particularly in its use of lighting and synthesizer-driven soundtrack. The killers are based on real-life unsolved home invasion cases, reflecting the senselessness of random violence.
Alternate Endings and Deleted Scenes
There was an alternate ending where Kinsey was shown driving away, believing she was safe, only to see a truck with headlights appear behind her—strongly implying the killers survived. This ending was ultimately scrapped for the hospital ending, which offered a slightly more hopeful tone.
Book Adaptations and Differences
The film isn’t based on a book but is inspired by real events—specifically a series of home invasions that occurred in California and the Manson Family murders. However, these are only loose inspirations; the film focuses more on mood than on true-story accuracy.
Memorable Scenes and Quotes
Key Scenes
- The first knock at the door: “Is Tamara home?”
- The discovery of the murdered relatives.
- Luke’s fight in the neon pool sequence.
- The fiery car showdown in the finale.
Iconic Quotes
- Dollface: “Because you were home.”
- Mike: “We just need to stay together.”
- Kinsey: “Leave us alone!”
- The Man in the Mask (written): “Hello.” (on the window fog)
Easter Eggs and Hidden Details
- The number of lights in the park changes throughout the film—symbolizing how close the killers are.
- The movie’s title font mimics 80s horror posters like A Nightmare on Elm Street.
- The radio in the car plays “Kids in America,” linking to the killers’ twisted sense of normalcy.
- The Man in the Mask’s truck is the same make and model as in the first film.
Trivia
- The movie was filmed in only five weeks.
- Though marketed as a sequel, it functions as a standalone story.
- The script originally had a family with younger children, but it was changed to teenagers for greater dramatic tension.
- Director Johannes Roberts stated that “the killers don’t need a reason—because evil doesn’t need one.”
Why Watch?
If you enjoy cat-and-mouse horror with retro flair, The Strangers: Prey at Night delivers intense suspense, stylish visuals, and a brutal reminder that safety is an illusion. It’s both a love letter to 80s horror and a modern nightmare.
Director’s Other Movies
- 47 Meters Down (2017)
- 47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019)
- The Other Side of the Door (2016)
- Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City (2021)
Recommended Films for Fans
- The Strangers (2008)
- Hush (2016)
- You’re Next (2011)
- The Purge (2013)
- It Follows (2014)
- Halloween (1978)
- Them (Ils) (2006)
