Intruder (2025) bold, flawed and fiercely heartfelt

Christian Jude Grillo’s Intruder opens with a brutal, hard-hitting cage fight that instantly sets the tone — raw, physical and unflinchingly tense. It’s a confident start to a gritty, high-concept slice of sci-fi horror that promises intensity, emotion and a few solid punches along the way. For a film that wears its independent roots proudly, it makes an impressive first impression. The atmosphere is taut and tactile, and the story wastes no time pulling its audience into a desperate escape from a dying planet.

At the centre is Bree Hewit, played by Dana Godfrey in her feature debut. She’s the film’s beating heart — a stubborn, battle-hardened fighter thrust into a nightmare that pushes her physically and emotionally to the limit. Godfrey brings a believable toughness to the role, grounding the more surreal elements of the story with grit and humanity. Her chemistry with the rest of the small cast, particularly in the film’s quieter moments, helps maintain emotional weight even as chaos unfolds around her.

Visually, Intruder makes the most of its confined setting. The spacecraft feels both claustrophobic and lived-in — a mechanical tomb where paranoia thrives. Grillo’s direction shines in the fight choreography and the tension-heavy sequences that rely on atmosphere rather than effects. When the film leans into its survival-horror elements, it hits hard.

Where Intruder begins to lose momentum is in its mid-section. A few scenes linger longer than they should, and the pacing occasionally undercuts the film’s urgency. It’s easy to sense that Grillo had a larger vision in mind — one that might have thrived in a serialised format rather than as a single feature. The ambition is admirable, but it sometimes works against the tightness the genre demands.

Even with those uneven stretches, Intruder remains a compelling watch. The blend of action and horror delivers several genuinely gripping moments, and the thematic core — survival, family and redemption — gives it substance beyond the scares. It’s a film that clearly comes from a place of passion, and that sincerity carries it through its rougher edges.

Intruder is a creative and ambitious indie sci-fi thriller that swings for the stars. It doesn’t always land cleanly, but its raw energy, strong lead performance and inventive use of space make it a worthy entry for genre fans looking for something bold, flawed and fiercely heartfelt.