The Guest (2019)

Thriller films hit differently, though they sometimes leave me questioning my intelligence.

Synopsis(spoiler alert)

The Petersons are still mourning the death of their son and brother, who died while serving in the military, when a charming young man with ocean-blue eyes suddenly arrives at their doorstep, claiming to be a close friend of their late son, Caleb.

Laura Peterson, who opens the door to him, receives him warmly, considering he has news about Caleb. Spencer Peterson, upon returning home that evening, is infuriated that his wife let in a total stranger, but after witnessing the facade of "coolness" David carries around, he allows him to stay until he can get back on his feet.

While staying in the Petersons' house, David earns their trust by getting involved in issues concerning the family. First, he brutally beats up the students who bullied Luke Peterson at school. He also kills the man who stood in the way of Spencer's promotion. Plus, he teaches Luke self-defense and even gives him a knife to carry around.

Unknown to the Petersons, David was never a friend of Caleb. He was actually the result of a science experiment gone wrong. The experiment messed with his psychology, leading to his murder spree.

When background information about David suddenly surfaces and the police are on his tail, he feels threatened and begins to wipe out the Peterson family one by one, as it was their daughter, Anna, who made the first phone call that led the police to him.

My Review and Rating

A short clip on TikTok inspired me to watch this movie. At first, I was rooting for David because he seemed like a cool guy. I even thought the police were after him and wanted him dead because he knew their secrets, but what I didn't realize was that he was a lab rat who needed to be shut down.

I actually admired that he taught Luke to stand up to the people who picked on him at school, and he defended others he met after becoming a "family friend." What I also liked about David was how he carried himself despite being faced with challenges. He was very collected.

But, when someone seems too calm and overly outgoing, there should definitely be a question mark next to their name. I'm glad Anna Peterson saw that blurry question mark and decided to run a background check.

One thing that kept me completely focused was the film's lighting: dim, muted lighting with a dominant use of a cool color palette. It matched the genre and helped heighten the suspense that developed in the film. But, as always, thrillers seem to make me question my intelligence, as there seems to be a missing piece in every one I've seen. How did David find the Petersons? And why them? Because at his arrival at their house, the way he gazed at pictures in the living room seemed like he'd been waiting to see them all his life, but later on, it's revealed that he was a military experiment.

I also thought for a moment that maybe he had some beef with their son and wanted to get revenge, but there was no such information throughout the film, hence the missing piece of the puzzle. I'm thinking there should be a part two that I haven't seen. Speaking of a part two, the abrupt ending also makes this thought valid.

All in all, The Guest, directed by Adam Wingard, is a great film that'll have you glued to your seat until its "wtf?" ending.

Do I recommend it? Of course, I do. It's dark, thrilling, has a clever plot reveal, and features charming and witty characters. David was my favorite character regardless of him being a felon. He's very handsome, with ocean-blue eyes. The ocean is beautiful but deadly at the same time. Right from when David walked into the Petersons' house, I studied his eyes closely. Though they were emotionless, I knew something cold was about him. Those eyes of his probably hypnotized the whole family until it wore off on Anna. You should check this one out.