Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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While The Intruder doesn’t seem like your yearly dose of generic Black thriller, that doesn’t mean it is necessarily good.
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| Director(s) | Deon Taylor | |
| Screenplay By | David Loughery | |
| Date Released | 5/2/2019 | |
| Genre(s) | Thriller, Horror | |
| Good If You Like | Watching Black People In Scary Situations
A Slightly Comedic, But Also Lowkey Horrifying Antagonist |
|
| Isn’t For You If You | Have Long Given Up On Black Thrillers Due To Them All Seeming The Same | |
| Noted Cast | ||
| Scott | Michael Ealy | |
| Charlie | Dennis Quaid | |
| Annie | Meagan Good | |
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The Intruder Plot Summary
With Scott’s marriage still kind of new, and him making up for something he did in the past, he tries his best to give Annie anything and everything she wants. This includes a house in Napa Valley that Charlie wishes he could convince her not to want. Not because the house isn’t nice, and has a huge amount of land, but the owner, Charlie, doesn’t make the best impression. Things start off with them seeing him kill a deer and with Scott having issues with guns, it puts him on edge from the get-go. Add in Charlie being a bit country and Scott a city boy and it makes it so they don’t seem on the same wavelength.
However, with Annie being raised out in Indiana, wanting to raise kids in fresh air, she pleads for this multi-million dollar home and gets what she wants. Unfortunately though, mostly for Scott, Charlie pops up a lot and Annie, perhaps digging the neighborly vibe, invites him over and enables his behavior. However, as Charlie begins to not just make Scott uncomfortable but cross lines with Annie, so comes the realization that they may have paid for the house but Charlie has not truly given it up. Nor something he lost before they showed up.
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Highlights
It Is A Bit Creepy
I’m jumpy. Not to the point of hoping out my seat and screaming, but jump scares usually get to me and tone can make my hair stand. Now, when it comes to The Intruder, I won’t pretend this is the most scariest and creepiest film out there. However, Charlie is crafted, and played by Quaid, to be a bit unnerving. For while we’ve seen his type before, usually played by an ex, a surrogate, or a stranger, he brings something new to what seems like a tired formula.
How? Well, because of how they handle Charlie being off. Yes, in the trailer they note how he might have killed his wife. However, even with that tainting Quaid’s ability to catch you off guard, he still gives you serious “WTF!” vibes that Annie’s character aides in.
Criticism
It Ends Abruptly
The film ends with you asking, “That’s it?” For the build to the finale is awesome as Scott and Annie get chased throughout the house, and Annie discovers something in the basement. However, the lack of some form of epilogue does leave you feeling like you are missing something. And with the film not being Marvel quality, nothing pushes you to want to wait until the end of the credits to see if maybe one more scene is planted.
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On The Fence
Annie Is So Frustrating
Part of what make The Intruder frustrating to watch is Annie. On the one hand, her character is country so you can understand her wanting to befriend Charlie, pity him a bit, and let him be neighborly. However, at the same time, as Scott warns her about Charlie and she repeatedly refutes what he thinks is going on, she will likely rile something in you, or someone in the theater, to start yelling at the screen or making gestures. For there comes a point where her being from Indiana, in the house most of the day, doesn’t justify her letting this weird ass white man come over daily uninvited.
The Intruder Overall Rating: Mixed (Divisive)
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While Quaid brings something to The Intruder to make it feel different from the other movies of this ilk, some of which have starred Michael Ealy, it isn’t different enough to be considered good. Hence the mixed label. The Intruder is one of those films best watched with a friend, or in an environment, with people who know how to provide comical commentary. For without that? It loses its slight comedic appeal and is just Annie pissing you off since she refuses to listen to Scott – seemingly out of spite.
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