Intruders
Directed by Adam Schindler
Starring: Beth Riesgraf, Rory Culkin, Jack Kesy, Martin Starr
Momentum Pictures
January 15, 2016
Reviewed by Jess Landry
With a trailer that hints at tones of horror and psychological thriller, and an opening sequence that tugs more at your sentimental heartstrings (as opposed to the literal heartstrings ripped straight from your chest), it’s easy to wonder where Intruders will wander in terms of genre.
To start off, we’re introduced to Anna, a woman caring for her dying brother, Conrad. In his last days, we come to learn very few details about their secluded country house, their seemingly awkward family situation, and the fact that they seem to have acquired piles of cash some way or another. It’s pretty easy to spot something isn’t quite right in this household. But if there were, it wouldn’t be much of a movie, would it?
Anna, trapped in the house from her crippling agoraphobia, shares a bit too much info about the cash flow situation with the Meals on Wheels-type food delivery guy, Danny (hey, is that a Culkin?), who’s one of the few people from the outside world she has contact with. Things quickly turn south on the day of her brothers funeral when three men break into the house in search of said flow. Anna’s supposed to be at the burial but her anxiety disorder literally leaves her trapped in her own home. The men see her as nothing more than a sad, pathetic woman, and don’t give her running around much thought. But what the men don’t realize is that appearances can be deceiving, especially when a basement has a retractable staircase.
There’s a few flavours of film going on here. I tasted hints of movies like The Collector and Saw, and the film has been described as Panic Room meets You’re Next. How Intruders is different from those films though is that it’s a lot less horror and a little more psychological, plus the gore is kept to a minimum. There are no supernatural elements at play here, only a home invasion gone wrong and a woman at her wits end who harbours some pretty dark secrets.
Beth Riesgraf delivers a fine performance as Anna, often stuck in doe-in-headlights mode. When she switches between that and what could almost be considered as another personality, she shines. Her frailty is always visible though, and that gives viewers the sense that she could crack at any moment.
Though not horror through and through, Intruders plays up the tension well in its cramped corridors and other tight set-pieces. Give this one a watch if psychological thrillers are your thing.
