First off, I LOVE no-budget indie films. Most of them suck, but occasionally you find a gem, or at least one dynamic enough to keep your interest. This film falls into that category.
The masked killer genre typically caters to people in need of cinematic comfort food. It has to be simple, bland, and go down easy without too much of an aftertaste.
With that in mind, Intruder may prove to be a tough sell for slasher fans. This Halloween-based thriller is not cinematic Doritos. It has a spook-factor I haven't experienced from a micro-cinema horror in a while, and revolves around an intriguing, if over-thought, protagonist. Occasionally, elements are introduced that seem out of place and disturbing, creating a disjointed feel that unnerved me. The performances are VERY STRONG, from the female lead to the supporting characters, many of whom leave in impression with only a single scene.
In terms of kills, the film puts most of its eggs in the suspense basket, making the actual "money stuff" more of a period than an exclamation point. Intruder actually manages to ratchet up a considerable amount of tension; rare for a grade "z" indie. Yes, there certainly is a "cheese factor", and yes, the zero-budget seams are more than apparent, but that's inevitable in this sort of movie.
Being that the film is (sorta) structured as a murder mystery, the "end twist" is a bit of a head-scratcher. However, it had an impact, unlike most horror film endings, which all too often fall into the paint-by-numbers category.
The DVD supplements are excellent. The deleted scenes are intriguing, and the blooper reel is actually funny. There are two audio commentaries, both of which kept my interest and managed to avoid being self-congratulatory.
Overall, I liked Intruder enough to pick up a copy from amazon after renting it. It's a thinking person's slasher (if that exists), and has a number of remarkable elements. If you can only tolerate well-budgeted spfx fests with name actors, you will not find much to enjoy, as this is a maiden effort with more than its share of flaws. If, on the other hand, you tend to give low-budget horrors a chance, you'll dig the atmosphere and scares, and find it worth a look.
7 1/2 STARS.