Early critical reactions are in for The Strangers: Chapter 2, a new psychological horror in The Strangers franchise, leading to a disappointing Rotten Tomatoes score. Directed by Renny Harlin (Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger), the film serves as the fourth entry in the franchise, and the second installment of the new trilogy, picking up directly after 2024’s Chapter 1.

The Strangers: Chapter 2 follows Maya (Madelaine Petsch) after her escape in the first film, as she is stalked once again by the trio of masked killers. Joining Petsch in the cast are names such as Gabriel Bᴀsso and Ema Horvath. Following its Hollywood premiere on September 16, The Strangers: Chapter 2 is scheduled to be released on September 26.

Despite high expectations and a franchise plan, The Strangers: Chapter 2 has debuted to a disappointing 25% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 12 early critic reviews. The horror film, which has killers promoted as “more brutal and relentless than ever,” appears to have failed to connect with critics, who describe the overall story as overexposed and the scares as underwhelming.

Some reviewers likened the film’s hospital-set narrative to Halloween II, yet considerably less exciting, accusing The Strangers: Chapter 2 of undermining the franchise’s original premise by offering too much backstory on the killers. Still, not all feedback has been negative, as a handful of critics offered praise for the film’s attempt to evolve the franchise.

What This Means For The Strangers Franchise

With The Strangers: Chapter 3 already confirmed and reportedly in post-production, the underwhelming response to Chapter 2 could pose a serious challenge for Lionsgate’s horror trilogy. The second installment was intended to deepen the mystery and heighten the stakes, but many critics argue it feels more like filler than a crucial progression of The Strangers reboot trilogy’s story.

Chapter 2 appears to falter most in its attempt to explain the backstory of the Strangers themselves, leading away from the horror aspect of the film. However, some critics remain intrigued enough to see how it ends, and considering The Strangers trilogy underwent reshoots following feedback on Chapter 1, Chapter 3 could redeem it if it delivers a compelling payoff.

Our Take On The Strangers: Chapter 2’s Rotten Tomatoes Score

A 25% score, unfortunately, puts The Strangers: Chapter 2 in “rotten” territory, and while it’s too early to declare the entire trilogy a misfire, the early critical consensus is undeniably rough. For horror fans, this installment may feel like a disappointing detour rather than a gripping improvement of Chapter 1, which was a box office hit despite its Rotten Tomatoes score.

If the final chapter can pull the threads together and deliver on the promises hinted at in previous films, there is hope the trilogy could land on its feet. However, personally, I cannot see much redemption happening with both the first installment and The Strangers: Chapter 2 debuting with Rotten Tomatoes scores of less than 30%, but we will see with Chapter 3.