There’s only one thing that could compel me to watch a Netflix thriller like this (considering how many duds there’ve been in this genre), and that’s Logan Marshall-Green in the lead role. This man has such range, and such a knack for transformation; he rarely looks the same in his films – The Invitation and Upgrade are fine examples of this. I didn’t even know it was him until I saw the trailer. So I watched it and yup, he was the prominently decent thing about this film. There were some interesting moments of direction, but everything else is pretty meh.
Marshall-Green plays Henry, who has just moved with his wife Meera (Freida Pinto) to a new home in a new city. Meera survived breast cancer, so the move is kind of a fresh start for the couple. Henry also built the house they live in, which is kind of sweet. “Aw, like the Taj Mahal,” I thought. Henry is characterised by his control – we see constant glimpses of this in the way he is always adjusting things, a certain precision even in his mannerisms and overall look. He is keenly focused on his wife, accommodating her every need and want. All the hovering can certainly feel stifling, but he does it in a mother bird sort of way, and Meera appreciates his care and affection.
Things are going swimmingly, until their house is broken into, not once but twice. What are the intruders looking for? More importantly, how is Henry so calm after each encounter? Meera is rattled by the violence that occurred in her house, but she is more disturbed by her husband’s relaxed exterior. Throw a missing girl into the mix and the entire picture becomes startlingly clear, kind of like those beachy paperbacks you bring on vacation.
This is the issue with Intrusion – it’s so obvious.
There are too many clues; it’s as if they were afraid we wouldn’t figure it out. The script is just really bare bones, void of tension and proper stakes, and even though Marshall-Green makes his character interesting to watch (all he needs to do is enter the room and you feel the tension rise), the characterisation feels paper-thin, while the narrative is plot by numbers. Pinto’s acting here is really painful to watch, which is bizarre since I have enjoyed previous roles she’s played. The scenes with just her alone lacks any sense of tension; I guess it is difficult to emote anything when your character is such a blank slate.
There are some visual shots that I enjoyed, like the rotating tracking shot that happens towards the end of the film – it felt like some kind of Inception moment. The choice of setting is really great – the house truly embodies Henry’s spirit, and it makes complete sense that he would design a house like that. The juxtaposition of this modern house against the isolated landscape is a pretty nice touch too. With a better script, director Adam Salky could have made a better film. Alas, all it’s fated to be is another mediocre Netflix thriller.
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