Mickey Keating’s Invader is a lean, mean home-invasion thriller that wastes no time in unsettling its audience. From its chilling opening—where an unseen figure methodically dismantles a home—to its relentless conclusion, the film operates with a stripped-down, almost voyeuristic intensity. While it occasionally treads water in its buildup, Invader ultimately delivers a brutal and effective genre experience.
The film follows Ana (Vero Maynez), who arrives in the Chicago suburbs expecting to reunite with her cousin Camila. Instead, she finds only eerie silence and a creeping sense of dread. As she sets out to uncover Camila’s whereabouts, she’s met with cryptic encounters and an increasingly hostile atmosphere. The film’s early moments establish a world that feels isolating and unsafe, enhanced by Keating’s choice to shoot almost entirely with handheld cameras. This aesthetic choice immerses the audience in Ana’s growing paranoia and adds a documentary-like realism to the unfolding horror.
The pacing is deliberate—perhaps too much so for some viewers. A significant portion of the runtime is dedicated to Ana wandering through empty streets, making phone calls, and struggling to get answers. While this adds to the film’s immersive tension, it also borders on frustratingly slow. At times, it feels like the title should be Walker or Traveler rather than Invader, given the sheer amount of wandering before the horror fully takes hold.
But once it does, Invader becomes something else entirely. The film’s latter half shifts its perspective, following the titular Invader (Joe Swanberg), and this change is when Invader truly shines. Swanberg, known for his work in indie cinema, delivers an unnerving performance. His character isn’t just a generic masked assailant—he exudes a quiet menace, his dead-eyed stare and methodical movements making him all the more terrifying. His donning of a suit mid-film echoes elements of Creep, adding an eerie and unexpected layer to his persona.
Keating’s sound design is particularly noteworthy. Death metal blasts from the soundtrack at unexpected moments, enhancing the film’s chaotic energy. The cacophony of noise—coupled with the aggressive cinematography—creates a disorienting experience, reinforcing Ana’s and the audience’s anxiety. This isn’t a film that holds your hand; it throws you into the deep end and lets you sink.
While Invader might not offer much in terms of emotional attachment to its characters, it compensates with sheer atmosphere and brutality. The film’s final act doesn’t just escalate—it explodes. The shift in perspective breathes new life into the narrative, making it feel like an entirely different film by the end. And while the film’s message—perhaps that sometimes the bad guys win—may leave some viewers unsettled, it undeniably sets the stage for a potential sequel that could be even more gripping.
Keating’s direction showcases his unique voice, even if it sometimes feels restrained here. Invader is at its best when it embraces its raw, unpolished nature, and its final moments suggest that a follow-up focusing more on its villain could be an even stronger outing. If you’re a fan of films like The Strangers but want a version that’s even more stripped-down and nihilistic, Invader is well worth your time.
Final Verdict: While Invader takes a while to hit its stride, its unsettling atmosphere, brutal final act, and a chilling performance by Joe Swanberg make it a standout in the home-invasion subgenre. If there’s a sequel, following the Invader himself might just be the key to unlocking Invader’s full potential.
Jessie Hobson