An absurdly enjoyable piece of pulp hokum, filmmaker Adam Wingard's The Guest is an unapologetic throwback to some of the best B movies of the ‘70s and ‘80s. The Peterson family—father Spencer (Leland Orser), mother Laura (Sheila Kelley), bullied son Luke (Brendan Meyer), and rebellious daughter Anna (Maika Monroe)—are mourning the death of oldest child Caleb, a soldier killed in Afghanistan, when a young man knocks on their door. David (Dan Stevens) is a handsome fellow claiming to have been Caleb's squad mate and best friend, come to deliver his buddy's final goodbyes. Before long he has taken up residence in Caleb's old room and ingratiated himself with the family, even if they're unaware of the violent lengths to which he will go to secretly help them. Only Anna harbors suspicions, which are certainly confirmed with the arrival of an enforcer for a hush-hush government-affiliated corporation, who brings a complement of SWAT-type underlings to capture David, at which point the film takes a turn from creepy suspense thriller to conspiracy extravaganza in which the mysterious stranger proves more than a match for his pursuers. An amusement-park-ride of a movie, The Guest is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director Adam Wingard and writer Simon Barrett, deleted scenes (15 min.), and a Q&A with star Dan Stevens (3 min.). Exclusive to the Blu-ray release are bonus DVD, digital, and UltraViolet copies of the film. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a solid B-movie throwback.] (F. Swietek)
The Guest
Universal, 101 min., R, DVD: $29.98, Blu-ray/DVD Combo: $34.98, Jan. 6 Volume 30, Issue 2
The Guest
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