Riverdale star Madelaine Petsch is familiar with negative criticism. While her breakout project was well-received, later seasons of Riverdale faced consistent backlash, especially on social media. The actress portrays Maya in the The Strangers film trilogy, which has not garnered the warmest reception. Chapter 1 holds a 21% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while Chapter 2, which premiered today, has an even lower score of 1%. Nevertheless, Petsch has learned to handle criticism gracefully. “I think the best films are polarizing,” she stated in a recent interview. “That’s what makes film and art so cool,” she added.

The second film continues the story from the first, where Maya fights for survival after being attacked by unknown assailants. “When they discover that one of their victims, Maya, is still alive, they return to finish what they’ve started. With nowhere to escape and no one to trust, Maya must endure another terrifying chapter as The Strangers – driven by a senseless, relentless purpose – pursue her, willing to kill anyone who gets in their way,” reads the official synopsis for The Strangers: Chapter 2. Other cast members include Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath.

‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’ Receives Universal Criticism

A 16% score indicates a strong consensus regarding the film’s entertainment value. Collider’s Ross Bonaime is among the thirty-two critics who reviewed the sequel, and while he was not a fan of the first film, this installment pushed him further away. He remarked that Petsch’s performance might be the only redeeming aspect, as everything else falls short. “At the very least, Madelaine Petsch is doing her best with an extremely weak script and a director who struggles with horror. She delivers a compelling performance that captures the scene’s tension and conveys the emotions we should feel while watching the film,” part of his review states. He further added:

“But The Strangers: Chapter 2 is an exhausting distortion of where this story began in 2008. No one seems to recall why The Strangers was effective, and instead, attempts to dilute this concept with poor pacing, villain (and boar) origins, and extremely foolish decisions at every turn. It’s unfortunate that all three films in this trilogy were shot together because at this point, it’s hard to envision how Chapter 3 could salvage this sinking ship. The Strangers: Chapter 2 is a true disaster, one of the worst horror films of the year, and it’s regrettable that this is what this franchise has become.”

The Strangers: Chapter 2 is currently playing in theaters.