You might have noticed from my last review, I am a huge proponent of mainstream wide releases of horror films, remake or otherwise. Even if they are not the greatest the genre has to offer occasionally, they still manage to pull off things that a lot of the lower-budgetted films cannot. The latest to pique my interest is Deon Taylor’s The Intruder.
The Plot
Annie and Scott are ready to move away from the city to start a family. After finding Annie’s dream house, the couple soon realize that the sweet older Charlie who sold it to them isn’t going to let go of his home very quietly.
My Thoughts
I originally had planned to see The Intruder in theaters earlier this year, upon its original release. Unfortunately, I did not have time to do so, but was excited to finally get a chance to check it out now. I didn’t know much about it going in, other than what I gathered from the trailer; It sort of seemed like another home invasion film, perhaps with a slight twist.
This initial assumption isn’t far off in the slightest. The Intruder can definitely fit into the home invasion category, but it is most certainly one of the more tame ones around.
Never fully reaching full horror territory, The Intruder is a mildly-paced suspense thriller. It features a talented cast and a beautiful setting that becomes another character in the film, in and of itself.
The cast here is very small with the focus being on three main characters, played by Michael Ealy, Meagan Good, and Dennis Quaid. While these may not be the names that come immediately to mind when thinking of anything dealing with the horror genre, these three performers are far from strangers to it.
Meagan Good, who starred in 2008’s rendition of One Missed Call and Saw V, plays the half-glass-full, positive vibes wife, Annie, of Michael Ealy’s Scott. Ealy has acted in TV’s “The Following” and is going to be a huge part of the upcoming Jacob’s Ladder reboot, as well. The duo work extremely well together on screen, as the young husband and wife with a rocky past of their own.
Opposite them is, of course, Dennis Quaid, who has been seen in everything from family-friendly dramas to, more importantly, things like ’09’s Pandorum, and Legion in 2010. Quaid does a remarkable job as Charlie Peck, the previous homeowner and the lonely, older, upstanding citizen who just can’t seem to move on from his lifelong home. It is Quaid’s portrayal of Peck’s darker side that will have fans really impressed, however.
Throughout the film’s hour and forty minutes, it is hard to place your finger on exactly what is wrong with Charlie Peck. Is he really just a lonely guy who is having trouble moving on? Or does he really have some deeper, more monstrous intentions? It is this towing of the line that makes for such an effective suspenseful tone from start to finish, as Quaid plays the role perfectly.
The Verdict
If you’re a blood and guts horror fan, The Intruder is not for you. If you, however, are an audience that is seeking more of a slow-burn thriller, then this is a great one for you to check out.
The Intruder features a great cast, cinematography, lighting, and a soundtrack that will keep you in the right frame of mind during its entirety, and an awesome climax that personally had me smiling as the credits rolled.
Be sure to grab yourself a copy of The Intruder, available now on Digital and coming to Blu-ray and DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment on Tuesday, July 30.
The home release of the film contains various behind-the-scenes featurettes, including a making-of, a gag reel, deleted scenes, and an alternate ending.
As a final Repulsive rating, I give this one 3.5 Foxglove flowers out of 5.
