Common Sense Media Review
By Jeffrey M. Anderson
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Irritating, inept stalker/slasher series finally ends.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Strangers: Chapter 3
What's the Story?
In THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 3, Maya (Madelaine Petsch) has just caused the death of Shelley (aka Pin-Up Girl, played by Ema Horvath) and tries to escape. She finds a church but is found there by Gregory (aka Scarecrow, played by Gabriel Basso). Rather than try to kill her, however, he seems to give her a peace offering and lets her go. Maya runs into Sheriff Rotter (Richard Brake) and steals his police cruiser but manages to get caught by Scarecrow once again. He takes her to an old sawmill where he grinds up Shelley's body and gives Maya a little smiley-face tattoo. It soon becomes clear what his nefarious plans are. Meanwhile, various flashbacks share more about how Gregory, Shelley, and "Dollface" became a team and established the rules for their murders.
Is It Any Good?
As this so-called "story" tries to wrap itself up, it gets bogged down in exposition and bland philosophizing, offering nothing scary, suspenseful, or the least bit intriguing. The Strangers: Chapter 3 doesn't even have the mildly scary scenes of creepy people in masks, since we now know who they are and what they're up to. Instead, there's scene after scene of gobsmacking choices, prompting reactions of "why didn't you just..." and "what were you thinking?" In one scene, Maya uses an obvious ploy to trick Sheriff Rotter out of his police cruiser, and he falls for it. Then, less than a minute later, she crashes into a tree because she wasn't looking where she was going. And it gets worse from there. Maya's sister and her husband arrive in town with a man who is never introduced other than as "Marcus." Is he a bodyguard? A chauffeur with military training? It doesn't matter, because he gets killed in minutes after making one of the movie's most ridiculous decisions ("you'll be safe in this trailer").
The ending is the most perplexing of all, as Maya suddenly switches from being a tough rebel who can stand up for herself to a near-catatonic victim, susceptible to any kind of suggestion. The movies in this series may have been moneymakers, and The Strangers: Chapter 3 will likely follow suit, but it has no reason to exist; it's not good, it's not scary, it's not suspenseful, it's not fun, it's not smart, and it's not interesting. At least it is one thing: finally over.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about The Strangers: Chapter 3's violence. How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?
Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies? Why do people sometimes enjoy being scared?
What's the appeal of the "home invasion" horror subgenre?
How does this movie compare with its predecessors? Does it try anything new?
What is the nature of revenge? Can it be satisfying? Why? Can it ever truly solve a problem?
Movie Details
- In theaters : February 6, 2026
- On DVD or streaming : March 6, 2026
- Cast : Madelaine Petsch , Gabriel Basso , Richard Brake
- Director : Renny Harlin
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : Lionsgate
- Genre : Horror
- Run time : 91 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : strong bloody violence and language
- Last updated : February 17, 2026
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