Intruders (2015 film)

Last updated

Intruders
Intruders poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAdam Schindler
Written by
  • T.J. Cimfel
  • David K. White
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyEric Leach
Edited by
  • Adam Schindler
  • Brian Netto
Music by Frederik Wiedmann [1]
Production
companies
Distributed by Momentum Pictures
Release dates
  • July 12, 2015 (2015-07-12)(LA Film Festival)
  • January 15, 2016 (2016-01-15)(United States)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$1.6 million [2]

Intruders (also known as Shut In and Deadly Home) is a 2015 American horror thriller film directed by Adam Schindler and written by T.J. Cimfel and David K. White. The film stars Beth Riesgraf, Martin Starr, Jack Kesy, and Rory Culkin.

Contents

Plot

Anna suffers from severe agoraphobia and has not left her childhood home in the ten years since her father died. She takes care of her brother, Conrad, who is dying of pancreatic cancer, and receives daily food deliveries from Dan, with whom she is friends. Her brother tries to encourage her to move on and leave the house. After Conrad dies, Anna and Dan commiserate over how they both feel trapped in their current situations. Anna offers Dan a large sum of money as a chance to escape his circumstances but he declines.

The day of Conrad's funeral, three men (Perry, Vance, and his brother J.P.) break into Anna's house looking for the money. When they discover Anna, one of them puts her on the couch and duct tapes her ankles together but they are surprised to find she cannot leave the house, even after being untied and the door being right in front of her. Trying to draw her out of hiding, Perry kills her pet bird but she refuses to reveal the location of the money. Dan arrives, looking for Anna since she was not at her brother's funeral. The thieves restrain him and begin to search the house for the money. Anna kills Vance and drags him into the basement. The other two go to the basement and she activates a switch that retracts the staircase.

Anna confronts Dan, who admits that he told Vance about the money but never intended the robbery, but that he only confided to them about her offer and that he couldn't get her out of his head. Angry and hurt, Anna breaks two of his fingers and cuts his bonds. She pushes him into the basement and he dislocates his knee in the fall. Perry pops Dan's kneecap back into place and takes pleasure in Dan's pain.

Using a surveillance system, Anna lures J.P. into a separate bedroom and locks him in. When Perry tries to escape, she bludgeons him with a hammer. Unfazed, Perry attacks her. As Anna nears death, Perry's wound catches up to him and he dies before he can kill her. Dan attempts to escape and finds Perry dead, as well as a body in the freezer. Conrad's lawyer arrives to check on Anna. Anna acts normal but when Dan begins yelling for help and banging on the door, the lawyer hears him. Anna passes it off as an old radiator that Dan is downstairs working on. After the lawyer buys this and leaves, Anna traps Dan and J.P. in one room.

As Anna watches from the cameras, J.P. deduces the truth of their situation: Conrad was a serial killer who lured his victims into the basement and killed them while Anna watched, thus explaining the various contraptions around the house. Anna confirms this but clarifies that all of their victims were child molesters, as was Anna and Conrad's father. She recalls the story of her father's abuse and her brother killing him. She promises to release Dan if he kills J.P. and reveals a gun with a single bullet but Dan refuses. J.P. grabs the gun and Anna tries to convince him to kill himself for causing his younger brother's death. He laughs at this and points the gun at Dan. Anna, who does not want Dan to die, unlocks the door, and J.P. and Dan escape.

In a fit of rage, J.P. decides to go back in for revenge. Hoping to burn her to death, he pours gasoline around the house. He attacks Anna, trying to choke her to death with a pillowcase, and alludes to raping her after she passes out. Dan arrives when she is again near death and distracts J.P. enough for her to grab the gun from J.P.'s pants and shoot him. Dan and Anna share a long look and he leaves without a word. Anna listens to him drive away. She then stands and takes one step out the door. On her way out, she sparks the blaze, burning the house and its secrets.

Cast

Production

On August 28, 2014, it was announced that Adam Schindler would be directing a horror thriller, Shut In, written by T.J. Cimfel and David White, which Schindler would produce along with Jeff Rice, Lati Grobman and Erik Olsen. [3]

Filming began in late August 2014 in Shreveport, Louisiana. [3]

Release and reception

The film premiered at the LA Film Festival on June 12, 2015. [4]

The film received mixed reviews. On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 48% based on 23 reviews, with an average critic rating of 5.38/10. [5] Dennis Harvey of Variety called the film "an efficiently engineered suspenser, with solid performances and a tight pace", though writing that the film's "third act is a bit of a letdown". [1] Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave the film two out of a possible four stars, referring to it as a "promising film that leaves a bad taste in your mouth, like a meal well-presented on the plate that just doesn't fill you up". [6]

Related Research Articles

<i>Immortal Beloved</i> (1994 film) 1994 British film

Immortal Beloved is a 1994 biographical film written and directed by Bernard Rose and starring Gary Oldman, Jeroen Krabbé, Isabella Rossellini and Johanna ter Steege. The film narrates the life of composer Ludwig van Beethoven in flashbacks while it follows Beethoven's secretary and first biographer Anton Schindler's (Krabbé) quest to ascertain the true identity of the Unsterbliche Geliebte addressed in three letters found in the late composer's private papers. Schindler journeys throughout the Austrian Empire interviewing women who might be potential candidates, as well as through Beethoven's own tumultuous life.

<i>My Girl</i> (film) 1991 film by Howard Zieff

My Girl is a 1991 American coming-of-age romantic comedy-drama film directed by Howard Zieff, written by Laurice Elehwany, and starring Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis, Macaulay Culkin, and Anna Chlumsky in her first role in a major motion picture. The film tells the story of an 11-year-old girl living in Madison, Pennsylvania, during the summer of 1972. The film's title refers to the classic 1964 song of the same name by The Temptations, which is also featured in the film's end credits. A book based on the film was written by Patricia Hermes. The film grossed $121 million on a budget of $17 million. A sequel, My Girl 2, was released in 1994.

<i>The Funhouse</i> (novel) 1980 novelization by Dean Koontz

The Funhouse is a 1980 novelization by American author Dean Koontz, based on a Larry Block screenplay, which was made into the 1981 film The Funhouse, directed by Tobe Hooper. As the film production took longer than expected, the book was released before the film.

<i>The Shadow of the Cat</i> 1961 British film by John Gilling

The Shadow of the Cat is a 1961 British horror film directed by John Gilling and starring André Morell and Barbara Shelley. It was photographed in black-and-white by Arthur Grant. Produced by Hammer Film Productions, it was released in May 1961 on a double feature bill with Curse of the Werewolf.

<i>When a Killer Calls</i> 2006 American film

When a Killer Calls is a 2006 direct-to-DVD horror film directed by Peter Mervis and starring Sarah Hall, Mark Irvingsen, Robert Buckley, Derek Osedach, and Rebekah Kochan. It was distributed by B movie company The Asylum. The film was released in February 2006, to coincide with the theatrical release of the 2006 remake of When a Stranger Calls, which this film is a mockbuster of.

<i>Mothers Day</i> (2010 film) 2010 film by Darren Lynn Bousman

Mother's Day is a 2010 American psychological horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. It is a loose remake of Charles Kaufman's Mother's Day and was written by Scott Milam and produced by Brett Ratner. The film stars Rebecca De Mornay, Jaime King, Briana Evigan, Patrick Flueger, Deborah Ann Woll, Matt O'Leary, Jessie Rusu and Shawn Ashmore.

<i>Scream for Help</i> 1984 film by Michael Winner

Scream for Help is a 1984 British horror film directed by Michael Winner, written by Tom Holland, and starring Rachael Kelly, David Brooks, and Marie Masters. Set in New Rochelle, New York, the film follows a teenage girl who discovers that her stepfather is trying to murder her and her mother, but her repeated claims of her findings are disbelieved by those around her. Former Led Zeppelin member John Paul Jones composed the musical score.

<i>Kidnapped</i> (2010 film) 2010 film directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas

Kidnapped is a 2010 horror-thriller film directed by Miguel Ángel Vivas and written by Javier García, which stars Fernando Cayo, Manuela Vellés, and Ana Wagener alongside Guillermo Barrientos, Dritan Biba, Martijn Kuiper and Zoel Yáñez.

<i>Wasted on the Young</i> 2010 Australian film

Wasted on the Young is a 2011 Australian thriller film directed by Ben C. Lucas and starring Oliver Ackland, Adelaide Clemens, and Alex Russell. Shot by cinematographer Dan Freene, it tells the story of a traumatic high school incident that sets off a fatal chain of events for two brothers. The film was shot in 2009 at an ultra modern mansion in City Beach and at Edith Cowan University's Mount Lawley and Joondalup campuses. The film received $750,000 in ScreenWest funding through its West Coast Visions initiative, as well as funding from Screen Australia.

<i>Mysterious Intruder</i> 1946 film

Mysterious Intruder is a 1946 American mystery film noir based on the radio drama The Whistler. Directed by William Castle, the production features Richard Dix, Barton MacLane and Nina Vale. It is the fifth of Columbia Pictures' eight "Whistler" films produced in the 1940s, the first seven starring Dix.

<i>Ao Oni</i> (film) 2014 Japanese film

Ao Oni is a 2014 Japanese horror film based on the 2008 video game of the same name. The film was released on July 5, 2014, in Japan.

<i>Dont Breathe</i> 2016 film by Fede Álvarez

Don't Breathe is a 2016 American horror film co-produced and directed by Fede Álvarez, who co-wrote it with Rodo Sayagues. It is the first installment in the Don't Breathe franchise. The film stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto, and Stephen Lang, and focuses on three home intruders who get trapped inside a blind man's house.

Dangerous Intentions is a 1995 American drama television film, directed by Michael Toshiyuki Uno. It aired January 3, 1995 on CBS.

<i>Ghostland</i> 2018 film directed by Pascal Laugier

Ghostland is a 2018 psychological horror film written and directed by Pascal Laugier. Ghostland was shown in competition at the Festival international du film fantastique de Gérardmer, where it won three awards, including the Grand Prize.

<i>Villains</i> (film) 2019 film by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen

Villains is a 2019 American black comedy horror film written and directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen. It stars Bill Skarsgård, Maika Monroe, Blake Baumgartner, Jeffrey Donovan, and Kyra Sedgwick.

<i>Night of the Strangler</i> 1972 American film

Night of the Strangler is a 1972 American blaxploitation mystery film directed by Joy N. Houck Jr. and starring Micky Dolenz and James Ralston. It depicts the story of Denise Roberts and her plans to enter into an interracial marriage with her baby's father; these plans are disrupted by his murder, which begins an escalating series of killings involving her brothers Vance (Dolenz) and Dan (Ralston) and their loved ones.

<i>Lucky Day</i> (film) 2019 action crime film

Lucky Day is a 2019 action crime film directed and written by Roger Avary. The film stars Luke Bracey and Nina Dobrev. This film is a semi-sequel of Killing Zoe.

<i>Intrusion</i> (film) 2021 American film

Intrusion is a 2021 American psychological thriller film directed by Adam Salky and written by Christopher Sparling, starring Freida Pinto and Logan Marshall-Green. It was released on September 22, 2021, by Netflix. It is about a couple who move from Boston to a small town in New Mexico to live a quieter life, only to find themselves the victims of a burglary and a deadly home invasion.

References

  1. 1 2 Dennis Harvey (November 16, 2015). "Film Review: 'Intruders'". Variety . Retrieved June 7, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Initial Certification Search" (Type "Shut In" in the search box). Fastlane NextGen. Retrieved August 2, 2020.
  3. 1 2 Kit, Borys (August 28, 2014). "Beth Riesgraf Starring in Indie Horror Film 'Shut In' (Exclusive)". hollywoodreporter.com. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ↑ Woods, Kevin (April 22, 2015). "First look at Adam Schindler's Shut In, starring Beth Riesgraf". joblo.com. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Intruders (2016)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  6. ↑ Brian Tellerico (January 15, 2016). "Intruders Movie Review & Film Summary (2016)". RogerEbert.com. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.