The Guest

THE GUEST is a fun, if derivative, little movie from Adam Wingard, the guy who also brought us the familiar-yet-entertaining YOU'RE NEXT. It's a belated addition to that whole psycho-thriller sub-genre of the 1990s in which ordinary families were menaced by mysterious forces, and it achieves plenty on what is clearly a tight budget.

There are shades of THE TERMINATOR and the BOURNE trilogy here and it has to be said that the story is simplistic and straightforward. The denouement will surprise nobody, for example. However, like DRIVE before it, THE GUEST is all about the execution. It looks cool, it looks stylish, and it sounds cool too thanks to that thumping soundtrack. Dan Stevens is excellent as the suave and sophisticated guy who turns up to make a few waves, and Maika Monroe shows some of the promise that she displayed in IT FOLLOWS. Plus we get Lance Reddick, being exceptionally good again after his turn in JOHN WICK.

In fact, THE GUEST has quite a lot in common with IT FOLLOWS, especially the horror-style unfolding of the plot. These films share likable young cast members and a fresh feel despite the familiarities of the situations in which the characters find themselves. Certainly nothing about THE GUEST is original, yet it's thoroughly entertaining at the same time. And that's all I need from a movie.

It feels almost inaccurate to refer to this movie as The Guest when in reality it was entirely carried by a wonderful performance by Dan Stevens. I enjoyed it thoroughly, which isn't at all to say it's what I would normally call a good movie. The movie is highly campy, reminiscent of '80s-'90s action movies / thrillers, and Dan Stevens brings in an excellent all around tongue in cheek tough 80's anti-hero performance.

Stevens' acting is well matched by strong action that is to the point and not drawn out, as well as superbly chosen music, particularly in the climactic scenes.

For any gamers out there, if you enjoyed Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon for the nostalgia and humor, you'll likely love this movie as much as I did.

I've never watched Downton Abbey, but I'm guessing that Dan Stevens deliberately sought out very different roles after leaving the show. The Guest is the perfect advert for his abilities. He's convincing as the mysterious but charming visitor and equally capable in moments of action, suspense or humour. I hope the right roles come along for him as he's entertaining to watch and has got everything required to become a major star.

The plot unfolds in a fashion that renders a summary both unnecessary and unwanted if you're planning to see this, but after the initial set-up it progresses at a decent pace and with escalating tension.

A special mention is required for the soundtrack. The electronic score is one of the film's major strengths and is perfectly judged.

An entertaining and self-aware mix of action, suspense and dark humour, the Guest has a retro feel without being old fashioned (a quality that is encapsulated by the score), and features decent performances.

Fun to watch - Dan Stevens is awesome - he played the part perfectly. Great movie if you're not too concerned about taking it too seriously.

Creepy stranger premise has been used in horror or mystery to varied effect, the latest Jennifer Lopez's flick is an example of how not to welcome this premise. Luckily, The Guest has the luxury of having suave lead actor and good atmosphere for a thriller. Some of the kinks are predictable, but the dark humor as well as bizarre revelations offer much needed novelty to the movie.

David (Dan Stevens) arrives at the Petersons resident, claiming that he was a friend of their fallen son. He's well-mannered and seems trustworthy, thus the family welcomes him openly. Upon his stay, strange accidents begin to happen, and suspicion arises with the casualties. The most important hook is Dan Stevens' portrayal of David. He looks like a rugged debonair, this is not average smooth, this is Ryan Gosling's level of smoothness.

Stevens delivers a wide variety of emotions, he can be either friendly or deadly. Backed by good cast, such as Maika Monroe as the Anna Peterson and Lance Reddick as Mayor Carver, the movie has a solid degree on acting performance. The exchange of banter is enjoyable, often resulting in manipulation or downright violence for David's benefit. It elevates the human drama between him, the Peterson family and whoever unlucky enough to be in their immediately vicinity.

Mystery of David's real identity is crafted slowly and it's compelling enough to pique interest without revealing too much. The film also has a touch of humor, albeit slightly crude. Strangely, in the third act it changes tone drastically for the climax. This shift is a bit odd considering it plays the thriller aspect with steady pace for the majority of early parts, although this explosive tone does have the merit of being entertaining.

There are short bursts of Hollywood style carnage, but they are modest, not all out gunblazing from the start like Bourne or the recent John Wick. Action sequences are well choreographed, it has both devastating and ridiculous impact.. Good practical effect for the blood and explosion as well as its highly unorthodox soundtracks make the faster pace scenes more satisfying.

Having good mesh of action, mystery and comedy, The Guest is enigmatically fascinating.