Two children, one in Spain, the other in England, are experiencing terrifying visits by the same demon who wants to possess them. The only viable link is that both children are writing a story...

A joint Spanish/English language production, Intruders is the sort of frustrating picture that has big and bold ideas on the page, but sadly on the screen in unfolds laboriously as it bites off more than it can chew. It came as no surprise to myself to find that upon opening internet sites frequented by horror fans, Intruders has greatly disappointed them. It's rarely frightening, sags desperately in the middle section, the pay off is weak, and ultimately it only skirts the boundaries of being a "horror" film.

So, the lack of shocks and suspense in bona fide horror terms needs to be tempered with genre expectation levels, this is more a family drama with fantastical horror elements lurking around the edges of the frame. This of course doesn't help anyone, like myself, who has bought into plot synopsis and the marketing strategy that accompanied the picture, but if able to see past the faceless demon that appears occasionally and promises something else? There's a decent and honest adult film pulsing away here.

Clive Owen plays the troubled father of the piece and he once again, as he did in Trust, shows that given this type of material he can deliver a performance of emotional substance. He's backed up by a very strong turn from young Ella Purnell as his daughter, and with the tech credits high - most notably Roque Baños' superb musical score - there is much to enjoy here. But as thoughtful as it is, and as solid as the film makers credentials are, its reputation is unlikely to be enhanced anytime soon. 6.5/10

This moves back and forth between two stories. In Spain, Juan and his mother is battling the nightmarish monster Hollowface. They seek the help of Father Antonio. In London, John Farrow (Clive Owen) is a high rise welder and lives happily with his wife Susanna (Carice van Houten) and daughter Mia (Ella Purnell). Mia finds a box inside a tree in her grandmother's backyard. Inside the box, she finds a story about Hollowface. They are attacked but nobody can find Hollowface. Dr. Rachel (Kerry Fox) treats Mia for being mute after Hollowface seemingly rip off her mouth.

The back and forth between the two stories in different languages probably screw some people up. I love the eerie atmospheric feel. The final reveal is really interesting and very poetic. Even the high rise antics leave me with a bit of vertigo. Revealing Hollowman right away is very risky but it works to connect the two stories.

In Madrid, the boy Juan is terrified by the monster Hollowface and his mother is unable to protect him and summons Father Antonio (Daniel Brühl) to exorcise the monster from their lives.

In London, the construction worker John Farrow (Clive Owen) is very close to his teenage daughter Mia (Ella Purnell). One day, Mia is spending the day at her grandparents' house in the countryside with her mother Susanna (Carice van Houten) and she finds a box with the story of Hollowface hidden in a tree. Sooner Mia sees the monster Hollowface in the closet of her bedroom and John defends her. When they are attacked for the second time, the security camera that John has installed does not show any intruder. Are Mia and John delusional?

"Intruders" is a disappointing horror film with a magnificent cast, beautiful cinematography, good CGIs but wasted in a mediocre screenplay and a hollow and messy story. Surprisingly there are viewers that seem to have liked this senseless film. My vote is three.

Title (Brazil): "Intrusos" ("Intruders")