The Strangers: Chapter 2

If you're into slasher horror with masked killers and relentless suspense, The Strangers: Chapter 2 might be right up your alley. Directed by Renny Harlin, this 2025 film is the fourth entry in The Strangers franchise and the second part of a new trilogy that kicked off with The Strangers: Chapter 1 in 2024. It stars Madelaine Petsch as Maya, a survivor who finds herself once again in the crosshairs of the terrifying trio known as Pin-Up Girl, Scarecrow, and Dollface.

The story picks up with Maya recovering in a hospital after her brutal encounter with the masked killers. But survival was just the beginning—when the strangers find out she’s still alive, they return to finish what they started. What follows is a tense game of cat and mouse that takes Maya from a hospital to the woods, a horse farm, and eventually back to the cabin where it all began. Along the way, she meets new characters who try to help her, but the killers are never far behind.

The film leans heavily into the slasher formula, with plenty of chase scenes, close calls, and brutal kills. There are also some flashbacks that give a bit more insight into the villains’ twisted pasts, especially Pin-Up Girl. If you’re a fan of gritty survival horror and don’t mind a high body count, this one might scratch that itch.

That said, The Strangers: Chapter 2 didn’t exactly win over critics or audiences. It received mostly negative reviews, with many calling it predictable and lacking the suspense that made the original film so chilling. On Rotten Tomatoes, only 15% of critics gave it a thumbs up, and it scored a 28 out of 100 on Metacritic. Even audiences weren’t too thrilled, giving it a CinemaScore of C–, the lowest in the franchise.

So, who’s this movie for? Hardcore fans of The Strangers series or slasher completists might still find something to enjoy. But if you're looking for fresh scares or a smart horror flick, this one might not hit the mark. Either way, it sets the stage for the final chapter in the trilogy, so if you're in it for the long haul, Chapter 3 is on the horizon.