In the ever-growing catalog of modern slasher films, He’s Out There (2018) stands out as a minimalist yet chilling entry. Directed under the pseudonym Quinn Lasher (real name Dennis Iliadis), this home-invasion thriller follows a familiar but still terrifying path: a mother and her two daughters arrive at a secluded lake house for what should be a peaceful weekend, only to be hunted by a masked, silent predator lurking in the surrounding forest.
The story centers on Laura (Yvonne Strahovski), a protective and determined mother who becomes the only line of defense when her family is targeted by a killer who has been hiding in the woods long before they arrived. The villain, an unnamed man wearing a disturbing stitched mask, doesn’t just appear out of nowhere—he has laid out psychological traps, children's toys, red strings, and riddles, crafting an eerie game that adds a disturbing tone to the violence.
Though the plot follows a well-worn formula—family trapped, no cell service, power cut, isolated location—what gives He’s Out There its strength is its atmosphere. The forest is quiet, almost suffocating, and the sense of dread is constant. Yvonne Strahovski’s performance is the emotional core of the film; she portrays Laura with realistic fear and fierce resolve, grounding the story even as it edges into horror fantasy.
However, the film is not without its flaws. Character development is minimal, especially for the masked killer, who remains a mystery by the end of the film. While this might add to his mystique, it leaves many viewers feeling unsatisfied. His motives, history, and even his name are completely absent—he is evil for the sake of being evil. For some, this adds to the terror; for others, it feels like a missed opportunity.
Let’s imagine a continuation of the story, several years later. The sequel, titled He’s Still Out There, could follow Laura’s now-teenage daughters who are trying to move on from the trauma of that night. They've changed their names, moved to a new town, and tried to build normal lives. But nightmares still haunt them—and then, one day, they receive a red-laced envelope. Inside is a riddle. And a photo of their old lake house.
This time, the story could expand the lore of the killer. Maybe he wasn’t acting alone. Perhaps he was part of a twisted cult or a group that targets families in remote places, turning their deaths into performance art. The sequel could explore the psychological aftermath of the original film’s events, diving deeper into survivor's guilt, PTSD, and the urge to fight back.
A returning Yvonne Strahovski could appear as a hardened, paranoid version of Laura, training her daughters in survival—only to find out the enemy is more organized and personal than they imagined. The sequel could retain the minimalist terror of the original but raise the stakes, blending home-invasion horror with psychological thriller.
He’s Out There is not a groundbreaking horror film, but it is a competent and eerie tale of survival that uses its isolated setting effectively. Its strength lies in simplicity and atmosphere, anchored by a strong lead performance. With a bit more depth and world-building, a sequel could elevate the premise into something far more memorable.
In a genre filled with cheap thrills, sometimes the scariest thing is exactly what the title promises: someone, out there, watching… waiting.
