Shooting an entire trilogy in a rapid-fire manner, with less than two months for production, was destined to result in chaos. “The Strangers: Chapter 1” unfolded as hastily as predicted, revamping the cult horror series into a predictable slasher that mimicked the 2008 original without the unsettling voyeuristic aura. The first film thrived on mundanity, positioning viewers as passive observers unsure about the sinister implications of each sound. The remake, however, dulled these nuances, morphing into a standard narrative where a young couple contends with evil in a secluded setting. It didn’t resonate with audiences or critics, leading to the shelving of plans to launch the entire trilogy in theaters by 2024. This unraveling resembled director Renny Harlin’s “Horizon: An American Saga”, albeit with less uproar over the postponement of subsequent releases.

However, the apparent silence was strategic, as Harlin and the team viewed the reaction to the initial film as a test screen, prompting “enhancement shoots” to refine upcoming chapters. This is classical PR maneuvering, deliberately avoiding the term “reshoot” to imply continuity with the original concept, merely polishing it. Yet, “The Strangers — Chapter 2” clearly underwent significant updates — while not groundbreaking for a slasher film, its shift to a survival thriller brings much-needed revitalization after a formulaic predecessor with no fresh ideas or hints of innovative change.

In this entry, Harlin showcases why he was a prominent horror and action director in the late ’80s and ’90s, crafting escalating chase sequences in a creepy town where the protagonist (Madelaine Petsch) perceives everyone as potential killers. The movie leans heavily on paranoia, with minimal dialogue, and strays from the genre’s typical body count until the climax, despite intensifying scenes. What avid horror fans will think remains uncertain, given their keen attention. Nonetheless, it’s striking that the same team shifted to create something so unexpectedly daring.

The story picks up right after its predecessor, with Maya (Petsch) awakening in a hospital after witnessing her boyfriend’s (Froy Gutierrez) murder, mere moments after his proposal. There’s no time to recuperate as she hears that the hospital staff are being killed and must flee to meet her sister (Rachel Shenton) to escape the rural backdrop. This is easier said than done, with the three masked killers from the prior night on her trail, having sealed the hospital. Her profound paranoia, heightens each encounter, ensuring that expected horror tropes are infused with new tension through Maya’s perspective and trauma.

The film’s second act leans deeply into the survival narrative, isolating Maya in the wilderness where she must survive despite her injuries. Harlin even nods to “The Revenant” to stress this genre shift, though Madelaine Petsch won’t be vying for an Oscar, despite a humorous and intense battle with a CGI feral hog. This scene drew chuckles in screenings, but underscored its unique approach, maintaining suspense with minimal dialogue, stripping tropes to their core elements. While unexpected for a “Strangers” entry, the persistent dread of unseen threats remains palpable, even as Maya battles non-human foes.

Yet, the final act disappoints, as writers Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland delve too deeply into the villains’ backstory, undermining the enigmatic allure of the antagonists — reportedly a major change during revisions, stemming from Harlin’s claim that viewers craved more insight into the Strangers. As before, the film begins by citing statistics on stranger-related killings in America, only to eventually dilute the idea of killers who randomly, purposelessly target individuals. These enigmatic figures have captivated audiences precisely because their actions are devoid of motive, making anyone potential prey.

“The Strangers — Chapter 2” strays from this creeping threat to directly illuminate on the figures behind the masks, and the early events in their lives which started them on the path to notoriety. It’s a functional backstory for this new iteration of the franchise and nicely sets up a forthcoming third installment that I assume will be more anticipated than this one is, but it’s inherently in conflict with the overarching premise of these movies. If the killers aren’t just a random group attacking for kicks and their motivation is made apparent, then the way these films are structured makes it harder to recapture and sustain the paranoid tension that drove the first two acts here. By the time of the next film, you could successfully file a false advertising lawsuit against the notion that they still are strangers to Petsch’s scream queen. With these significant caveats in mind, however, “The Strangers — Chapter 2” is still a significant, genuinely improbable improvement on its predecessor. I’m as shocked writing this as you are reading it.

“The Strangers — Chapter 2” creeps into theaters on September 26.