There’s so much sensational spooky season entertainment on offer across the various streaming platforms this Halloween, but while we’re spoiled for choice there are still some absolute horror gems that you sadly won’t find on Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and the like this October. That includes a vastly underrated thriller that’s about to get a surprise spiritual sequel in one of the biggest cinematic universes around.
2014’s The Guest might be officially classified as a thriller, but make no mistake it is an exemplary, expertly made entry in the slasher genre, only with a killer who uses military weapons instead of a butcher’s knife to rack up the body count. A love letter to the horrors of the 1980s, but with a unique twist, The Guest follows the Peterson family as they welcome soldier David Collins (a chisel-jawed Dan Stevens, fresh off a Chris Pratt-like body transformation post-Downton Abbey), who claims to a friend of their late son/brother, into their home.
Our heroine, Anna (Maika Monroe, It Follows) is initially suspicious of the overly mannered and taciturn David, although his charm — not to mention a steamy moment when she catches him emerging from the shower — soon changes her tune. But David might not be all he seems to be, and Anna is soon forced to fight for her very life. Suffice it to say, if you’ve ever wondered what the twisted lovechild of Captain America, Michael Myers, and the Terminator would be, then David Collins is the horror villain for you.
The Guest reunion is happening in the most unlikely place — the MonsterVerse
Although director Adam Wingard has long-discussed a sequel for this critically acclaimed indie, unfortunately The Guest 2 has yet to arrive. On the plus side, Wingard is once again teaming up with Dan Stevens for Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, coming April 2024, the seventh entry in Legendary’s ever-growing MonsterVerse. Stevens will play the latest human lead of the franchise, although plot details on New Empire are currently top-secret.
With the kaijus’ return just months away, you’d think now would be the perfect time for The Guest to make its mark on streaming, but it is tragically unavailable as part of any streaming subscription in the U.S. The good news is that, if you’ve been sufficiently tempted to seek it out, The Guest is available to rent or buy from Prime Video, Vudu, iTunes, and Apple TV. Prices vary, but on Amazon the movie is $3.99 to rent (for 48 hours) or you can buy it for $14.99.