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Although I am a cinematic fan of all three principal actors, I cannot say I was a complete fan of the movie “The Intruder,” especially with current ticket prices. The acting was good and the main location and surrounding property were captivating, but the story, however, was weak, and the fear factor was non-existent.

Meant to be a thriller/drama, I would personally categorize this movie as only a drama, being that no thrills are given. There are no “jump” scares or even any real genuine suspenseful moments that you would attribute to classic or new-aged thrillers.

When we first see Charlie (Dennis Quaid), he is in the woods behind the house eccentrically

hunting deer with a rifle. Scott (Michael Ealy) and Annie (Meagan Good), arriving to view the house, are looking for the owner around back when they hear the noise of the gunshot. Immediately turning they are startled by Charlie, who purposely waits until they are in view, then maliciously shoots the deer in the face.

Dennis Quaid is far from his “Parent Trap” father role in this movie and accurately and remarkably portrays the obsessive, murdering, super creepy stalker Charlie Peck. Quaid’s character is fixated with the home he and his recently deceased wife lived in with their family, and has put the home on the market claiming he is going to live with his daughter and her family in Florida.

Michael Ealy is a smooth semi-devoted husband Scott and is wary of Charlie from the start. Scott tries to secure his house, and his wife, from Charlie as much as he can throughout the movie with little triumph. Michael plays Scott really well making you feel for him even though he tends to get in trouble with his “friendliness” towards women, and his client.

Sympathy is felt for Annie (Good), who questions her husbands interactions with women and is extremely naive in regards to the dangerous Charlie. From Charlie insisting on leaving to Florida soon and not leaving, to assisting with hanging Christmas lights uninvited, to bringing wine over after being told to not return, to continuing to make reference about “his” house even after the Russells move in, Annie only sees the pain Charlie holds, not the insanity.

Charlie’s control over the house and it’s upkeep naturally progresses into an unhealthy infatuation with Annie, which only adds to Scott’s mistrust of Charlie. The drama is here as Scott’s lack of spending quality time with Annie due to “work” obligations becomes means for Charlie to spend time with Annie. Charlie misinterprets this time, fueling his psychotic notions, leaving Scott to fight for his wife and their home.  

Meagan Good’s performance compliments Quaid’s as she nails the trusting, total blissful wife, who loves her husband and just wants to start a family in Napa Valley. Annie is the one who discovers Charlie’s true nature, however, and the switch over from empathy to rage is poetic.

Ominous and at times random shots of the actor’s eyes and deliberate areas on the property were used to I assume suggest menacing terror throughout the film, but were ineffective in causing anything other than utter confusion.

There is hilariously, in my opinion, a tribute to “The Shining” during one of the scenes where Annie is in the bathroom and Charlie uses a butcher knife to stab through the door.

The movie overall held a consistent pace as far as character development and even though there were no chilling or suspenseful moments, the dramatic tone throughout was what held my attention more than anything. The ending, unfortunately, was brief, anti-climatic, and predictable.

Rating: 5.5 out of 10.

 

Paolo Woodard
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