This New Sequel Is the Biggest Horror Disappointment of 2025 With 17% on RT

The second installment of the cult horror franchise reboot was recently released and instantly became one of the year's biggest disappointments.

Despite director Renny Harlin's reputation and attempts to expand the franchise, The Strangers: Chapter 2 received scathing reviews from critics and disappointed even die-hard fans of the genre.

What went wrong with this long-awaited, but unsuccessful attempt to revive the legendary masked maniacs?

What Is 'The Strangers: Chapter 2' About?

The plot follows survivor Maya as she awakens in the hospital after a bloody massacre perpetrated by three mysterious killers. Upon learning that one of the victims is still alive, Scarecrow, Baby Doll, and Pin-Up Girl return to finish the job.

Maya tries to escape Venus, a town where the locals act suspiciously and every corner could be a trap.

Along with this, we also see flashbacks from the childhood of Pin-Up Girl, one of the killers.

'The Strangers: Chapter 2' Is Too Straightforward and Clichéd

The main problem with the sequel is its complete lack of the atmosphere of gratuitous evil that made the original film released in 2008 so terrifying.

Instead of unsettling suspense, Harlin offers familiar clichés: suspicious locals, a paranoid tone, and unconvincing attempts at character depth.

Expanding Pin-Up Girl's backstory with a clichéd "school outsider" narrative completely destroys her aura of mystery. And the famous line, "Is Tamara home?" loses its eerie power after the clumsy explanation of its origin.

'The Strangers: Chapter 2' Proves This Horror Franchise Should Have Stayed in the Past

The Strangers: Chapter 2 is a horror film devoid of originality and basic tension. Despite Madelaine Petsch's solid performance as Maya and some suspenseful moments, the movie fails to deliver a single truly frightening sequence or creative kill.

Repetitive pursuits, predictable plot twists, and an overabundance of shady characters who go nowhere make watching it a tedious chore.

This sequel shows that not every classic deserves a reboot and that revealing secrets isn't always a good idea. Instead of enhancing the mythology, Harlin destroyed everything that made the original The Strangers creepy.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'The Strangers: Chapter 2'?

• The Strangers: Chapter 2 has 17% from critics and 57% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the horror movie has a score of 4.9/10.

• On Letterboxd, it is scored 2.0/5.0.