In just seventy minutes the terror of a home invasion is a mystifying monster in Invader. Written and directed by Mickey Keating, the norm of what may shock and scare audiences takes a new direction in this film. As a Chicago native, the areas of the film grabbed my attention, while I was also shaking in my seat. The cameras and angles are frequently choppy which captures the essence of what it would feel like if a scenario like Invaderwere to happen. A warning though, Invader is very realistic with graphic violence that may be too much to bear for some. For those who can handle it, they are in for a treat but also must go with an open mind.

The film begins with a man wrecking and destroying a home. His goes by the name is “Invader” (played by Joe Swanberg). He continually bashes things up at home with a hammer. The film then transitions to Anna (played by Vero Maynez), as she is coming to the suburbs of Chicago to visit her cousin. However, once she is off the bus, her cousin is not answering her phone, and she gets in a cab. She quickly gets out of the cab because the driver seems dangerous, and she is right, because it is “The Invader!” Anna goes on foot to try and find answers and make it to her cousin’s home to look for clues and evidence of why her cousin is not answering the phone.

Invader fills in the pieces to the puzzle quickly and detrimentally. The writing is paced to convey timing to be of the essence, as it is a bigger nightmare that tends to keep its vibrant tactics swiftly on edge. It interprets anxiety through the lens of conflict, as lives may be in the balance if Anna does not find the answers quickly. Why is Anna’s cousin not answering the phone? Why are there weird traits around Anna? Once Anna meets Carlo, a colleague of her cousin (played by Colin Huerta), they both try to find the pieces to her cousin’s disappearance. Invader keeps its tracks to be a subtle cat-and-mouse game awaiting the finish line to be a harrowing and unforgettable awakening.

There is a chance that “The Invader” may have taken over her cousin’s home. This is the nightmare that is the ravishing aspect of the film. The screenwriting blends in the context of home life and safety to a new level of terror. The continued angles of shaky cameras fulfill the film’s odyssey to create the atmosphere of scarcity.  Once there is the opportunity for Anna and Carlo to come face to face with “The Invader” it takes the terrifying elements to new heights—it is spectacle.

With all of the moving parts and creepy traits, I was both astonished and mortified by Invader. It is a stellar and disturbing work-of-art that paints a portrait of how harrowing a break-in can be. The thoughts that go through one’s head after tragic events creates a blur that cannot be dismissed. Keating pushes the envelope of suspense vividly, thoroughly, and audaciously with Invader. After my experience, it made me want to double check my windows and doors to make sure they were locked up tight. With that in mind, I am sure audiences will know what to expect with this one-of-a-kind, independent slasher flick. It is short but the presentation is extremely real. Invader takes the cake this time. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.