Intruder

INTRUDER is a fun, gory movie set in a grocery store. A crew of workers is marking down prices on the eve of their big "Going out of business" sale. A thuggish customer gets tossed out, and soon the murders begin.

The obvious suspect becomes less so as the ordeal unfolds.

This movie is inventive, making great use of its single location. There are several clever camera angles and shots (i.e.: looking up through a telephone, a bucket of water, etc.) that help to break up the static and keep things moving.

The characters are humorous, two of whom are played by the Raimi brothers (Sam and Ted). There are also cool cameos by none other than Bruce Campbell and two members of the old Green Acres cast!

The gore factor starts out mild, then accelerates at an alarming rate until body parts are really gushing! There are a couple of jaw-droppers that any true gorehound will appreciate!

Two bloody stumps way up!...

I was very interested in seeing this movie for two very specific reason reasons, the main reason being that I work in a grocery store so the idea of a psycho coming to a the market and killing the night crew off really appeals to me and the other reason is that this movie is marketed as starring Bruce Campbell and he's one of my favorite actors of all time. Don't get me wrong, this movie was a total blast and very satisfying for someone who spends most of their time in a grocery store but I was very disappointed to see that Bruce Campbell was only in the film for about 2 minutes at the very end. The movie was good but that really let me down.

The acting isn't great but it doesn't really have to be because this is your typical 80's slasher and I thought Sam and Ted Raimi were awesome in their roles. The same pretty much goes for the story but there are very few slashers that have well thought out story lines so I think it's pretty much fine. So what, do you ask, can make up for a movie with okay acting and a weak story? The gore, of course! The gore in this film is great. I don't want to give the creative deaths away but you'll have to check it out for yourself.

If anyone reading this happens to work in a grocery store, they absolutely need to see movie for the experience. I can't recommend it enough if you work at one. As for everyone else, you should all check it out too because it is a really good time.

Creative camera work and over the top gore effects fill Intruder's fairly short run time with enough ingenuity and kinetic energy to power the less than exciting script and characters that frequently fall short of the mark. Evil Dead fans will like knowing Bruce Campbell has a charming cameo towards the end.

'Intruder (1989)' is a slasher set inside a grocery store that sees the late-night crew come under threat from a mysterious manic intent on mutilating every last one of them. The flick isn't a parody, or even a comedy really, but it is well aware of what it is and isn't afraid to be as ridiculous as it wants to be. It's often funny, purposefully so, but it also works as a horror because the kills are grisly, the characters are likable and the flick is generally suspenseful. It's incredibly well made despite its obviously low budget, with some insanely creative shots keeping you engaged even during its duller segments. The killer's face is kept off screen for most of the movie, but it's when their identity is revealed that they really come into their own. They're suitably relentless and equally as deranged, spewing off-kilter commentary in a wonderfully over-the-top way. It's a pitch-perfect performance for what the piece is trying to achieve. The story is simple but effective, essentially acting as an excuse for the plot's carnage. Sadly, the version I watched was heavily cut (for some reason the cut version is the only one that's available through Shudder in the UK). This isn't too detrimental to the picture, as a couple of the more intense kills still genuinely work when they're shown in a more implicit way, but several sequences are heavily diluted and, especially towards the end, it's sometimes difficult to understand what's happening (or, rather, has just happened off screen). The most unforgivable part of the cut version is that it robs you of a moment in which the killer beats someone unconscious with a severed head. Ultimately, though, the piece is still entertaining in its cut form. It knows what it is and relishes it, providing fun rather than scares. Having said that, it also does a great job at building suspense and has several seriously inventive sequences. 7/10.

Prices aren't the only things being slashed at the local supermarket! Some heads are gonna roll when they see these amazing deals! Clean up on Aisle 9! Okay, that'll do.

In Scott Spiegel's somewhat unassuming directorial debut, "Intruder," the night crew at a supermarket find themselves locked in with a mysterious madman on the prowl. Is it a jilted ex- boyfriend of one of the cashiers? A disgruntled customer who waited too long in line behind the old lady who paid in pocket change? The guy from the opening scene in "Cobra"?

"Intruder" offers a little mystery to the proceedings, which can often feel like a paint-by-numbers slasher. Spiegel, who spent a considerable amount of time working with the "Evil Dead" crew of Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, et al brings some familiar faces along, as well as a few tricks up his sleeve. What "Intruder" may lack in originality, it delivers in physical humor, creative camera angles and some unbelievably over-the-top death scenes. Its cast is mostly unknown (featuring a few cameos here and there you may recognize) and yet perfectly capable. Really, the cast is likable and they add to the underdog charm of the film which, let's face it, was never meant for "classic" status.

Fans of the genre will find many things to like about "Intruder" (which originally went by the much superior and much less generic title of "The Night Crew") and if you've seen enough slashers, you'll forgive its shortcomings for the amount of ingenuity the film works into its limited means. Just an all around pleasant stroll through the aisles of yesterday's slasher oeuvre, be sure to throw "Intruder" in the cart if you haven't already.

Okay, one more: Tonight, the stock-boy will be the one being stalked! No? Okay, I'll leave