"The Guest"

A stranger arrives at your door. He has a connection with your deceased son. You allow him into your home. Giving him a bed for the night. But before long he becomes a more permanant fixture within the household, but is he all that he seems?
This is the premise of this latest thriller. And if it all sounds very familiar, it is because it is material that has been done many times, though I have to say it was not tiresome.

The mother, and indeed the whole family, still miss their eldest Son, brother, etc. Having this comrade in arms arrive gives them something to cling on to, memories of their lost loved one. Soon he fits right in. Helping younger brother Luke overcome bullies at school. Sister Anna has a troublesome boyfriend, and Dad misses out on a promotion, but mysterious help is at hand.
It soon becomes apparent that he is involved in some kind of military experiment, as soon a group of black SUV's turn up, with lots of men carrying guns and wearing body armour.

Yes it has been done before. Yes it predictable. But at times it works quite well. The bond the family make with him works well. And it is mainly down to a good performance from Dan Stevens in the title role.
It does however fall from grace somewhat in the latter part, pretty much from the cavalry arrives. It descends into a kind of mix between a cheaper slasher flick, and an 80's pop video, complete with smoke machine on overdrive. But at the end of the day, it works, and I enjoyed the 100 minutes spent in the cinema watching this thriller.

From Downton Abbey to American Psycho......7 out of 10

PS - Almost forgot to say, cracking music, both the score and the tracks used. One definitely to buy