Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
A soldier introduces himself to the Peterson family, claiming to be a friend of their son who died in action. After the young man is welcomed into their home, a series of accidental deaths seem to be connected to his presence.
The Guest is a gloriously pulpy genre exercise that stands out for its distinctive tone — a confident blend of 80s thriller aesthetics, synth-heavy atmosphere, and darkly comic menace. Dan Stevens' charismatic, unsettling performance anchors the film and elevates what could have been generic material. The cinematography leans into neon-drenched genre stylings effectively, especially in the climactic Halloween maze sequence. Where it falters is the ending, which devolves into rushed, somewhat incoherent action that fails to pay off the tension built up. The plot is serviceable genre fare — engaging but not deeply original in structure, relying on familiar mystery-soldier tropes. Novelty is the film's genuine strength: director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett craft something with a singular, unmistakable voice that stands apart from most contemporary thrillers of its era.