You ever find a movie sneaking up on you? That just appears on your radar without much fanfare, and, going in cold, you're treated to something really special? Well, for me, that was The Guest.
Coming from director Adam Wingard and screen writer Simon Barrett, last seen working together on the wonderfully inventive horror You're Next, The Guest tells the story of former soldier David (Dan Stevens), freshly returned from the war in the Middle-East, who arrives on the door step of the Petersons, the family of a deceased comrade, wishing to pass on a message to all of them. Helpful and charismatic, the family soon embrace David with open arms, except for eldest child Anna (Maika Monroe), who suspects there is more to David than there appears to be.
Much like You're Next, there is something undeniably old school, from the smash cut opening credits to the synth heavy soundtrack. There is an eye towards thrillers from the 70's and 80's, The Guest presents itself as a standard veteran returns from war story before slowly dropping in some sci-fi and horror elements as the plot advances. So it's not exactly a straight thriller, which might put some people off, but still endlessly entertaining, and those who like their genre movies will love it. Wingard injects a whole lot of fun into proceedings, with some extremely tight editing, and flashes of short, brutal action as David inserts himself deeper in the Peterson's lives, from dealing with school bullies to employment troubles. The twists and turns to the plot are slowly drip fed to us as the story advances, teetering on the edge of being ridiculous, but never tipping over thanks to a clever and knowing script. The third act sees the movie transform into a full blown action movie at the drop of a hat, and delivers a flurry of entertaining sequences, as the Peterson's home town is turned into a war zone. For the finale, things slow down and once again venture into the realm of horror, and while it is an effective ending, it just seems too small considering what preceded it.
Up until now best known for starring in Downton Abbey, Dan Stevens is perfect as the charismatic, yet deranged, David. It's a performance that calls for extreme personality changes, and Stevens pulls these off effortlessly, flashing a cheeky smile one minute while staring daggers at the camera the next. These are all done so subtley, and add a lot to the menace of the character. It's Stevens' show for the most part. with David being the most dominant character,. Maika Monroe isn't given much to do until the third act, when the movie thrusts her into the role of kick ass heroine, but she pulls off the character nicely.
Unlike anything you have ever experienced in the cinema this year, The Guest is a thoroughly entertaining mish-mash of genres, with a fantastic lead performance from Dan Stevens. Highly recommended!!!
Coming from director Adam Wingard and screen writer Simon Barrett, last seen working together on the wonderfully inventive horror You're Next, The Guest tells the story of former soldier David (Dan Stevens), freshly returned from the war in the Middle-East, who arrives on the door step of the Petersons, the family of a deceased comrade, wishing to pass on a message to all of them. Helpful and charismatic, the family soon embrace David with open arms, except for eldest child Anna (Maika Monroe), who suspects there is more to David than there appears to be.
Much like You're Next, there is something undeniably old school, from the smash cut opening credits to the synth heavy soundtrack. There is an eye towards thrillers from the 70's and 80's, The Guest presents itself as a standard veteran returns from war story before slowly dropping in some sci-fi and horror elements as the plot advances. So it's not exactly a straight thriller, which might put some people off, but still endlessly entertaining, and those who like their genre movies will love it. Wingard injects a whole lot of fun into proceedings, with some extremely tight editing, and flashes of short, brutal action as David inserts himself deeper in the Peterson's lives, from dealing with school bullies to employment troubles. The twists and turns to the plot are slowly drip fed to us as the story advances, teetering on the edge of being ridiculous, but never tipping over thanks to a clever and knowing script. The third act sees the movie transform into a full blown action movie at the drop of a hat, and delivers a flurry of entertaining sequences, as the Peterson's home town is turned into a war zone. For the finale, things slow down and once again venture into the realm of horror, and while it is an effective ending, it just seems too small considering what preceded it.
Up until now best known for starring in Downton Abbey, Dan Stevens is perfect as the charismatic, yet deranged, David. It's a performance that calls for extreme personality changes, and Stevens pulls these off effortlessly, flashing a cheeky smile one minute while staring daggers at the camera the next. These are all done so subtley, and add a lot to the menace of the character. It's Stevens' show for the most part. with David being the most dominant character,. Maika Monroe isn't given much to do until the third act, when the movie thrusts her into the role of kick ass heroine, but she pulls off the character nicely.
Unlike anything you have ever experienced in the cinema this year, The Guest is a thoroughly entertaining mish-mash of genres, with a fantastic lead performance from Dan Stevens. Highly recommended!!!
