Parents' Guide to

Intruders

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 17+

Moody, complex horror-drama has children in peril.

Movie R 2012 100 minutes
Intruders Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

See all
age 15+

Based on 1 parent review

sarjai B.
sarjai B. Adult
November 4, 2017
age 15+
very sexual as my friends say but i have not yet seen the movie

This title has:

Too much sex
Too much swearing
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In Spain, a boy (Izan Corchero) who loves monster stories experiences an attack by a real-life monster; a faceless intruder tries to choke his mom and take the boy away. In England, a girl (Ella Purnell) finds a written story about a monster called Hollow Face, in a tree trunk. She, too, receives a visit from the faceless creature, who's apparently trying to steal children's faces to complete its own. The Spanish mother (Pilar Lopez de Ayala) and English father (Clive Owen) do everything in their power to save their children. The mother asks for help from the church, and the father installs a security system. Ultimately, though, it's a problem that can only be solved by all the characters searching within themselves.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (1):
Kids say (1):

INTRUDERS is a moody, spooky movie. In appearances at various film festivals, it met with disappointment from horror fans who demand that supernatural horror (ghosts and monsters) and realistic horror (like The Silence of the Lambs) remain separate. But by combining the two types, celebrated Spanish director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo has created a fascinating hybrid.

To that end, the movie raises issues of identity, family, and the concept of fear itself. (Where does scary stuff come from?) A "twist" ending generally seems to disappoint horror fans, but it makes sense and is perfectly acceptable. Fresnadillo perhaps keeps the movie a bit too literally dark (doesn't anyone ever turn on the lights?), and some supporting characters don't have much weight, but overall, this is an effective, unique movie.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about how scary the movie is. What were the scariest parts? Is it actually a horror movie, or is it more like a drama about families in trouble?

  • How do the mother and son relate to each other in the Spanish story? What about the father and daughter in the English story? Do the parents believe their children's stories? How do they try to help their children? Would you have behaved differently?

  • Is this a supernatural horror movie or a realistic one? Is it a combination of the two? What's good and/or bad about a combination or a hybrid?

  • What did you think of the "twist" ending? Did it make sense? Was it rewarding?

Movie Details

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

See all recommended movie lists

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

See how we rate