Intruders review: A bloody good time with a devilish grin.
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Director: Adam Schindler
Cast: Beth Riesgraf, Martin Starr, Jack Kesy, Rory Culkin, Leticia Jimenez
Certificate: TBD
Running Time: 90 Minutes
Synopsis: An agoraphobic woman finds her house invaded by petty criminals looking for cash. She may find it impossible to leave the house, but the crooks may be about to discover that she isn’t exactly helpless.
So many horrors and home invasion films are filled with characters who stupidly never leave the house. They run up stairs when they should be jumping out of windows, or go for the landline even though we’ve had mobiles for years. So Intruders has a simple and very powerful way of keeping the film’s victim, Anna (Riesgraf), from leaving the house. Anna, for reasons the film will go into, has agoraphobia, making it impossible for her to leave the house. It also helps to add a very powerful emotional element for our lead actress to sink her teeth into. However, before I go any further, I must stress that Intruders, like its contemporaries You’re Next and Housebound, is best viewed blind, or with little knowledge as possible.
This is a horror film, like many today, that wishes to subvert conventions. Things are not always as they seem, and that’s the fun of the movie. A certain group of characters believe they are in control, when quickly things are switched around. It’s almost like a new wave of horror filmmakers are invading their own personal favourite films having read the scripts, and wishing to stir it up.
Anna has been living in her house without leaving for the last 10 years. She’s had her brother for company, but as his health deteriorates, it is clear she will need to start thinking about her future. Such a courtesy isn’t granted though, as she soon finds her home invaded by a group of thieves looking to steal her family’s fortune. The group are, almost defiantly of where the film ends up going, your usual villainous trio. There’s the seemingly in control leader (Kesy), the apprehensive push over (Mikel), and the unhinged psychopath (Starr).
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Riesgraf is startling in the lead role, managing to be vulnerable throughout, but also convinces in other ways too. Starr is also noteworthy, playing against type, and commanding every scene he is in. This could be the one to leave comedic roles behind with he so wishes, but then again, a beard always helps when going serious. It’s important that the thieves feel dangerous, and they do, otherwise we’d have ourselves a more violent Home Alone. There’s even a Culkin thrown in for good measure. On second thoughts, I don’t think I know a movie more violent than Home Alone.
Like a good sports film we’re rooting for the underdog, and the film plays up to this with fan favourite moments of air punching and cheers. It could be argued though that the film is far too reliant on the twist, but after the big reveal there is still a mysterious element as we find ourselves piecing together parts of characters’ histories.
Although set in a single house, the world of the film feels vast and expansive. The house itself is a maze, and (as cliched as it sounds) becomes a character in its own right. This may be director Schindler’s first feature length film, albeit a very brisk feeling 90 minutes of non-stop excitement, but it shows a lot of promise. If such a simple idea can be made this fresh and fantastic, then we can but wonder what else there is to look forward to. A bloody good time with a devilish grin.
Intruders review by Luke Ryan Baldock, August 2015.
Intruders was screened at Frightfest 2015.
