After
its oldest son, Caleb, dies in combat in Afghanistan, the Peterson family
receives a visit from David Collins (Dan Stevens), one of Caleb’s brothers-in-arms.
The family takes David in and at first finds him to be helpful and polite.
However, it later becomes clear that David harbors several secrets and may not
be all that he claims to be.
Directed
by Adam Wingard and scripted by Simon Barrett, The Guest is both a throwback to 1980s-style thrillers (think The Stepfather with a dash of The Terminator thrown in for good
measure) and one that fully engages more contemporary concerns. Neither of
these things make it a truly good movie, but for the cheap thrills that it
provides, it’s a lot better than it needs to be.
There are
a number of elements present here that work to elevate The Guest above the B-movie fray. First, it uses what would have
otherwise been an overly convenient plot point (David’s military background) to
make a fairly effective statement about the dehumanizing nature of war. Next,
it boasts a memorably idiosyncratic goth and indie-rock dominated soundtrack.
Synths a la Clan of Xymox form an ironic counterweight to the onscreen carnage.
Lastly, it benefits from some unexpectedly solid performances. Stevens’ seeming
sincerity and well-mannered charisma make his eventual course of action all the
more disconcerting while the always-reliable Lance Reddick exudes authority and
competence as a military officer with connections to his past.
Despite
these perks, The Guest also manages
to fall prey to the worst conventions of the genre. When the danger increases,
several characters display a naiveté and a lack of self-preservation that is
annoying as it is predictable. The ambiguous final scene may have been intended
as a Halloween homage, but it comes
across as a dull surprise. In addition, some of the other performances – such
as Maika Monroe’s flat rendition of the eldest Peterson daughter – simply aren’t
good.
The Guest doesn’t shine enough to win over
non-horror fans, but it is far more accomplished than the average time-filler.
7.25/10
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