A stranger visits the grieving Peterson family claiming to have served alongside their deceased son Caleb in the U.S army. The stranger, named David, becomes the guest of the Petersons as he supposedly settles back into civilian life. Yet is David a guardian angel, a veteran racked by PTSD, or something else entirely?
Directed by Adam Wingard and written by his frequent collaborator Simon Barrett, The Guest is a pulpy homage to thrillers and horror films from the 1980’s. Saturated by a pulsing synthetic soundtrack, the film openly borrows from John Carpenter and James Cameron. Both the films’ visuals and its narrative invoke elements of Halloween alongside The Terminator and even Escape From New York. The purpose and reasons for David’s visit are slowly teased from his actions, while Wingard and Barrett make it clear from The Guest’s beginning that nothing is quire right. David’s presence among the Petersons also satirises the trope of the mysterious stranger who helps or rescues those he encounters, as David tries to better the family. In his own way, David echoes the desires of the Peterson family, even if those are desires best left unfulfilled. The Guest is made even more engaging and unnerving thanks to Dan Stevens. Known for his role in British period drama Downton Abbey, Dan Stevens is captivating as David, appearing at The Petersons like a nefarious cuckoo, his intentions unknown but his menace plain for the audience. At times he is like Thomas Ripley with even less humanity, extolling a cold predatory drive behind his handsome exterior. Later on David morphs into an almost supernatural presence mirroring the unstoppable force of Halloween’s Michael Myers. Given the film’s focus around the titular “Guest”, Dan Stevens is perfect for the role. Steven’s range; from cold sadism to comedic timing imbues both life and complexity to the role of David.
In the pull of the moment, it is easy to be swept along by the twisting stream which is The Guest as it ravines from slow burn mystery to a horror film. Wingard and Barrett clearly drew from multiple genres for The Guest, and the resulting hybrid is enjoyable if not a little jarring. There is a clear, and unforeseen, leap in events during The Guest’s final act. Although a few hints lay scattered in early scenes, not enough context is left for the viewer to accept this transition in The Guest’s narrative. The film remains entertaining, but there are clear and jarring shifts as Wingard and Barrett clunk The Guest through different genres into its final form. The whole may not quite work in retrospect, yet The Guest is one of the more unique and overlooked thrillers of recent years. Looking back after the rise of Stranger Things, it is hard to not see The Guest as a prelude to our more contemporary nostalgia for a gritty reimagining of the 1980’s.
By Saul Shimmin
Title Roll Reviews 