Why are they wearing a dress?
The Guest arrives unannounced. He rings the doorbell as an unknown, stirring horrible memories for a family coming to grips with the news that their eldest son has been killed in battle. Within days though his tales of a friendship with their late son, combined with politeness, sensitivity and a humble nature, convinces Mum, Dad and their younger son that the new guy David should hang around a while. The teenage daughter resents his arrival, but she is the type of surly disagreeable teen that resents everything.
David is perfect. He knows when to speak and the right things to say, and when to listen, remaining attentive and helpful in the process.
With a handsome appearance, piercing blue eyes, a perpetually calm demeanour and a willingness to solve minor problems with sudden extreme violence… wait. What?
Look everyone wants to be original and everyone wants to be the pioneer and have a say in the future of horror. But you don’t reinvent something just by adding a couple minor elements, and this is hardly revolutionary or revelatory in any case. The finale – in a funhouse no less – is cliché ridden and silly. The developments that lead to David’s… stirring, have been used countless times; the son has bullies, the daughter a douche boyfriend. Really?
And aside from all that. It just isn’t that interesting or exciting. Frankly I can’t see what any of the fuss is about. I’ve seen this movie twenty times before, and this version isn’t better than more than a few of those.
Final Rating – 5.5 / 10. Everyone wants to be the ‘future’ of horror. The Guest dwells solely in the ‘past’ of horror.
