WHO INVITED THEM on Shudder is a new Psychological Horror-Thriller that you do not want to miss out on. It’s full of wit and edge. And also, it’s absolutely bonkers. I loved it.  Read our full Who Invited Them movie review here!

WHO INVITED THEM is a new Shudder movie. It’s a Psychological Horror-Thriller that has so much going for it. Most of it takes place in just one house, but this works perfectly thanks to the four main characters.

What starts out as a rather clumsy and strange house-warming event (you can’t really call it a “party”) does ultimately turn into an amazingly fun night. And then the fun stops and the terror begins. However, both before and after the whole “terror” ordeal, you’ll be perfectly entertained.

Continue reading our Who Invited Them movie review below. You can find it on Shudder from September 1, 2022.

A simple premise that works perfectly

From the very beginning, Who Invited Them is off-beat with its humor and edge. However, it isn’t until the end of Adam and Margo’s housewarming shindig, that things really get started.

This is when they discover that the mysterious couple (Tom and Sasha) are still there after all the other guests have left. This very cool and charming couple is what prompts the question that is now the title of the film.

They quickly explain that they are their neighbors and impulsively decided to join the party. They are sweet and apologetic, which leads to a nightcap. And then another and another. Also, hey, is that coke?! Oh yeah, the evening turns into quite a different night than Adam and Margo expected.

Especially because Tom And Sasha – who are supposedly their wealthy and successful neighbors – seem to carry some dark secrets.

Who Invited Them (2022) – Review | Shudder Horror

Simply amazing casting

The housewarming couple is portrayed by Ryan Hansen (Fantasy Island) and Melissa Tang (The Act). They play Adam and Margo respectively and deliver awesome portrayals. Just when you’re thinking that Margo is way too good for this Adam dude, you see them interacting in a way that makes their connection obvious.

It’s a really simple but important detail. Well, to me, anyway. I hate it when you see couples in stories, where you simply cannot understand why they would be together in the first place.

And there’s the mysterious, yet very cool and charming, couple of Tom and Sasha. Timothy Granaderos (Runaways, Room 104) plays Tom and he has all the charm and weird edge required for this character. You believe that he’s good and kind, but there’s also something off.

Perry Mattfeld (In the Dark) plays Sasha who is all kinds of trouble, but no more than Tom. She just manages to be sassy while also asking questions and being genuinely interested in those around her. Perry Mattfeld is perfect as Sasha and in scenes with Timothy Granaderos’ Tom, the two shine even brighter!

To be fair, you’ll probably be able to guess a few of the plot twists. I mean, there are several hints along the way, so you’re meant to catch on.

Watch Who Invited Them on Shudder!

Duncan Birmingham is the writer and director of Who Invited Them and he has actually created quite the little masterpiece with this one. And amazing feature film debut from this filmmaker! Even the runtime of just 1 hour and 21 minutes is simply perfect. It’s a treat and a surprise in all the right ways.

WATCH WHO INVITED THEM IF YOU LIKE…

The Hulu horror movie Fresh starring Sebastian Stan and Daisy Edgar-Jones > 

For the record, the above recommendation of Fresh is not a spoiler. The two stories have nothing in common except for changing paces, having brilliant characters, and using humor in all the right ways to make the horror hit harder.

I am so glad I was able to watch Who Invited Them so I can recommend that you do the same as soon as it’s on Shudder. You’ll want to avoid spoilers and just let it play out – and try to guess along, if you want, of course. I can never stop guessing, but even so, I loved to watch it all actually happen.

Who Invited Them premieres on Shudder on Thursday, September 1, 2022.

Details

Director: Duncan Birmingham
Writer: Duncan Birmingham
Stars: Perry Mattfeld, Ryan Hansen, Timothy Granaderos, Melissa Tang, Tipper Newton

Plot

Adam and Margo’s housewarming party goes well enough… except for this one mysterious couple (Tom and Sasha) lingering after the other guests have left. The cool couple reveals themselves to be their wealthy and successful neighbors but as one nightcap leads to another, Adam and Margo start to suspect their new friends are actually duplicitous strangers with a dark secret.

I write reviews and recaps on Heaven of Horror. And yes, it does happen that I find myself screaming, when watching a good horror movie. I love psychological horror, survival horror and kick-ass women. Also, I have a huge soft spot for a good horror-comedy. Oh yeah, and I absolutely HATE when animals are harmed in movies, so I will immediately think less of any movie, where animals are harmed for entertainment (even if the animals are just really good actors). Fortunately, horror doesn't use this nearly as much as comedy. And people assume horror lovers are the messed up ones. Go figure!
Karina "ScreamQueen" Adelgaard
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