Review: The Guest

There were two reasons why I checked out The Guest, firstly it was the next film from the guys behind You're Next and I thought You're Next was pretty damn great. Secondly it was another 80s styled thriller and we've been getting a large number of them recently and I've enjoyed a great many of them, so those two factors grabbed my attention and I'm glad they did cause this turned out to be a solid little thriller with a vein of 80s neon and dark comedy running through its veins.

Think The Terminator by way of Drive with a touch of You're Next black-hearted intelligence and you might have an idea of what to expect.

Set in Nowhere Town, USA, the film starts with the arrival of David Collins, a former soldier who was discharged on an injury and goes to see the Peterson family, home of his comrade Caleb who died in battle some time beforehand and left the rest of the family in pain. David's arrival is jarring but his kind-hearted nature and helpfulness at everything from bullies to washing-up means most of the family quickly accepts him into their home and welcome him to stay until he finds his feet.

However strange and sinister events start happening around the town that lead to confusing and unwarranted conclusions. Anna, the eldest Peterson child begins to suspect David but the more she digs into where he came from the more dirt piles around her to the point where things start to get more than a little dangerous.

I won't say anymore for fear of spoilers, it's not a surprise that David's hiding something (you can pretty much guess that right off the bat) but it's what he's hiding that's the big deal. It's not the most original reveals, I will say that, but as a means to an end and a way of bringing about some really twisted dangers in the final act it does work really well, especially the sudden twist on David's character.

Acting is solid throughout, it's a small cast with some roles bigger than others, Lance Reddick is almost wasted as the CID Agent that knows the truth about David but his cold demeanour and insider knowledge helped make him stand out. The Peterson parents don't do much, Spencer is usually working and while Laura does start out as a grieving mother brought back by this stranger but charismatic man she disappears for a time so the film can focus more on the kids.

The kids are surprising finds, I've not seen either of them before but they're both pretty damn great. Luke is the youngest of the family, he's a bit of a nerd but not stereotypically so, he's more of a loner than anything else, bullied by the football gang, preferring to sit in and play with his computer than anything else. The arrival of David gives Luke someone to look up to, a friend and mentor on how to handle the bullies and defend himself, what's great is that even when Luke starts to hone in on what David's about, the friendship they have proved an interesting change on the formula and changes things up a bit. Admittedly I kinda wish they did more with that angle, especially in the end but it does make sense why they didn't considering what happens.

Anna, played by newcomer Scream Queen Maika Monroe, is almost your typical rebellious teenager, she thinks her parents are too overbearing, she has a secret boyfriend, she smokes pot with her friends, the only difference being that she tries hard to hide her rebellious streak, she's not one to show-off and fight with her parents. She's also the only one not to immediately trust David and when things start happening around her she's the one to dig into his past. Anna's an interesting character because she does make some mistakes and her teenage mind doesn't fully count the consequences of her actions until it's too late but the moment things get too dangerous her first thought is to her family and their survival.

However it's easily David that takes this film, played by Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens (and no I haven't watched Downton Abbey) David is... well he's a mix of things, on one side he's a charismatic, friendly, handsome, intelligent stranger whose enigmatic nature makes him that more appealing. But on the other he's a dark, sinister, violent man with too much training and too little conscience. It's a strange mix but Stevens manages to handle the switch like a charm, sometimes going between the two at least three times in mere seconds, on the surface his politeness and charm wins him many fans but very quickly it becomes apparent there's a hidden darkness waiting to unleash and plenty of times (including one bad-ass beat-down in a bar) it just explodes out of him in a flurry of punches, counters and steely-eyed determination only to instantly turn back into David the charmer when it's over. He's definitely a more charismatic version of The Terminator, not saying a whole lot but with a pulsating air of danger around him, especially in the final act when he starts getting truly dangerous. He's int he running for one of the year's best characters.

Adam Wingard directs this film and what's most impressive is his ability to blend suspense with entertainment, while not as darkly humorous or as genre-savvy as You're Next this flick does have some very entertaining moments, particularly with how cold David is in regards to certain violent situations. It does take its time to set things up, building up a layer of tension before things get really out of control but it builds it with that entertaining factor, little scenes of humour that lighten the mood while also sometimes leaving you with that uncomfortable feeling that David's hiding something behind a quick laugh. It's a good mix and while there isn't anything to make you laugh out loud there's a couple chuckles to be had.

Because the film takes its time building up the tension there's always a fear about when and where it'll all go wrong. We can see why the Peterson's begin to trust and accept David but we also see the darker parts to his character, an intensity that hints like a clock about to explode. It becomes a game to see if the truth can be discovered at that exact moment or if David will talk his way out of it. And because David is so enigmatic and so little is truly known about him truly anything is possible, there's a couple scenes where you can see that cold look in his eyes and you're on edge wondering which road this scene will go, the peaceful or the violent.

It's only when things really get going that it almost turns into a true 80s style thriller with some slasher elements in there as well, the final act goes all-out in terms of tension and surprising violence and the ending literally takes place in a high school Halloween Maze with flashing neon lights (plenty of dark reds and blues to really sell home the Halloween/Prom Night, etc feel), spooky noises, shadows and a pumping synth-styled soundtrack ramping up the tension. Not to spoil anything but the creativity and suspense work perfectly for this type of scene and this type of film, it almost knows exactly what it's doing and delivering to its audience exactly the level of fun and tension they've been building up throughout the whole film waiting to be delivered. Honestly as great as the rest of the film is, that finale in the High School is worth checking out alone for how original and yet somewhat nostalgic it is.

The soundtrack is a big factor in its nostalgic 80s feel, it's a very synth heavy selection that really set the tone and build the pressure, as the notes repeat you can't help but feel your pulse syncing in tune with the beat and the effects are very noticeable. I can't name any of the songs but the soundtrack is truly one of the best of the year and one I'll be looking out for.

If I had to describe The Guest in one sentence I'd call it a polished B-Movie, the 80s neon fuelled tension is the most obvious influence but it's mixed into a modern post-war thriller and the combination makes for a very original film that still hits those nostalgic notes. With the cast all on-board with flawed but stalwart Anna and dark brooding stranger David being the highlights and a director that knows exactly how to make a film as exciting as it is suspenseful, this one caught me off-guard with how much fun I had with it and how well-made it turned out to be. Definitely one to watch with the lights low and the sound high.

8.5/10

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0E2Qh6wLS4