The Intruder | A cinematic crime

For many, last week’s Avengers: Endgame was the peak of blockbuster cinema. Everything from the early days of Jaws and Star Wars paved the way for the monstrous display of superheroics that landed in theatres. A real example that even though it’s never been easier to enjoy a film from the comfort of your own home, there are still reasons to go to the movies. If it seems that it can’t get any better, then the only way to go is down. And there is no further down than The Intruder.

This film is a distinct reminder that not everything that makes it to the cinema is worthy of being there. Going to the cinema requires a commitment. Aside from the price of admission, you have to set aside a particular time in the week for a theatre showing, hope for a reasonable crowd, and, depending on where you live or work, make the drive, walk, or run, to your seat. Going through all that just to watch The Intruder is a bit like being wait-listed for a fancy restaurant, only to be told the only thing left in the kitchen is soup and bread. The stuff they give away for free.

It’s not a difficult premise to summarise. In fact, it’s a stunning parallel to director Deon Taylor’s last travesty, Traffik, which happens to be one of the worst films of 2018. A young, newlywed couple, played by Michael Ealy and Meagan Good, are about to start their life in their dream home. They have the picture-perfect life, complete with vague professions to keep the characters rich enough for a fantasy, but not too rich to be unrelatable. The only problem is when Dennis Quaid’s Charlie, the previous owner of the house, has a violent reaction to letting go.

Throughout this movie you’ll undoubtedly be confused by Meagan Good’s character, who has some of the worst judgements I’ve seen since the O.J. trial. Her poor actions are rivalled only by her poor acting, which is not to say her counterparts, Ealy and Quaid, do any better. Then again, it’s hard to narrow down if it’s the acting that was terrible or if the dialogue was too bad to act. Likely, it was both.

Rating: Read A Book