Intruders tells the story of a female shut-in who has recently lost her brother to cancer. She skips the funeral due to her inability to handle the outside world beyond the front door of her home. The only real interaction she has is with her brother’s lawyer and the delivery driver who brings food to the house on a daily basis. When she reveals her wealth to the driver by trying to give him a cardboard box full of money, she sets off a series of events that begin with a home invasion/robbery attempt and end in multiple murders and false imprisonment.
It’s interesting how this movie has so many odd connections when you link the casting of Rory Culkin back to his older brother’s work in Home Alone. Intruders is meant to be an intense and dark thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, and in some ways it winds up being effective. Jack Kesy, who we’ve been enjoying for his work lately in Guilermo del Toro’s The Strain, does great work as the lead criminal in the film, and his supporting cast members are well utilized when they face off against Beth Riesgraf’s protagonist Anna.
So, the story begins with Anna losing her brother and revealing that she is absurdly wealthy and has no idea what to do with her money. The kid who delivers her lunch tells his friends about her situation and they decide to break in and rob her while she is attending the funeral. When they confront her inside her home, she reveals an elaborate system of traps and safe rooms. The bad guys realize all too quickly that they are in over their heads when the situation turns deadly.
Intruders is entertaining enough for what it is, and the story reveals work to enhance the narrative. Some of the twists are predictable while others are shocking and very unsettling and deal with some pretty awful content and themes. Beth Riesgraf does a great job at working between meek and threatening, and seeing her face off against a fired up Jack Kesy makes for some intense moments. There are a lot of questions that go unanswered at the end of the film, especially regarding the involvement of Rory Culkin’s character in planning the home invasion, and that actually works to make Intruders more memorable. It may not be a standout example of what the genre has to offer, but it’s definitely not worth ignoring either.
Hawkins’ Rating: 
Out of a Possible 5 Stars
