TRESPASS

US, 2011, 88 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman, Ben Mendelsohn, Cam Gigandet, Dash Mihok.
Directed by Joel Schumacher.


Thugs invading a home, trying to rob it and keeping the family hostage is not a new idea for a thriller. William Wyler directed a classic of this genre in the 1950s, The Desperate Hours, with Humphrey Bogart and Fredric March. It was remade in 1990 with Anthony Hopkins and Mickey Rourke. So, here it is again.

The director is Joel Schumacher, a director the critics love to mock for his highly colourful and emotional films (even his version of The Phantom of the Opera). Fans decry his two Batman films, Batman Forever and Batman and Robin, as spoiling, almost ruining, the franchise. Watching Trespass, we realise they may have more than a point.

This time the couple is played by Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman, fairly upmarket casting. Cage gets the chance to be more reticent than usual as a bespectacled businessman whose diamonds and cash are the target for the trespass of his home. Nicole Kidman now has a teenage daughter but looks as regal as ever. Australian Ben Mendelssohn, who has not appeared in many Hollywood films which makes us wonder why he chose this one, is the leader of the gang, and he does not miss an opportunity to snarl. Cam Gigandet plays his brother, a more complex character. There is also a teenage daughter who is having problems about going out and parental permission.

The film opens almost over the top, with the establishing of the relationship between the couple, the behaviour of the daughter and the loud and smashing intrusion of the gang. Once you are over the top, where can you go except to hysteria? That is the direction Trespass takes, lots of bullying and brutality, lots of shouting, cursing and screams – and the audience wanting to turn the volume down.

However, there are a few surprising twists in the plot, especially concerning the dealings of the businessman and what is in his safe, about one of the thugs and his relationship with the wife, the reaction of the security company, the use of her wits by the daughter.

Trespass means to go on to private property illegally. It also means a sin and an offence. Both are relevant for this melodramatic and over-heightened thriller.

1. The title, the tone, invasion of property and land, the gang and their particular trespasses and motives, trespass as sin – and each of the central characters?

2. A film in emotional overdrive, the moments of hysteria?

3. The cast, cast against type?

4. The mansion, the interiors, the grounds, the road, the party? The musical score?

5. The introduction to Kyle, Nicolas Cage, the businessman, his appearance, the glasses? Busy, the phone, the deals, his relationship with Sarah, with Avery and her wanting to go out? His having to leave, Sarah upset because she had prepared the dinner? The diamonds deals? The new house, Sarah’s design, building? His office, the safe?

6. The introduction to Sarah, Nicole Kidman, her appearance, her cooking the meal, being the mother of a teenager, pleasant, her hopes, not allowing her daughter to go out? Leaving her meal at the door?

7. Avery, her age, her dress, her father’s comment, wanting permission to go, the refusal, the argument, sullen, antagonism towards her parents? Her girlfriend, getting out the window, going to the party, the drugs, the young man coming on to her, her seeing through him, calling a taxi? Kendra and doing the drugs?

8. The police, at the door, security guards? The disguise of the criminals, the invasion of the house, their knowledge about Kyle and the whole family, the presuppositions about money and diamonds? Their masks, shouting, the brutality in throwing people around? The girl present – on drugs, her dependence on Elias? The hysterical response, loud, yelling? Elias and the black on his fingers – avoiding fingerprints? The pressures, Jonah and his knowledge, looking, his not wanting the family to be hurt? The big man, his threats? The girl and her over-the-top reactions?

9. The situation, smashing, the story about the mother’s kidney, the lies? Kyle and his refusal to open the safe, despite the attacks and torture? His story, explanations about identifying diamonds and their being difficult to sell, buying time, expecting to be killed? His love for Sarah? The final revelation that there were no diamonds, the empty safe, the necklace being a fake, his not having any money? His concern for Sarah and Avery?

10. Jonah, the flashbacks, working as a security guard, the pool, getting the information, the attraction towards Sarah? The video and their embrace, its use? Audiences presuming infidelity? Later seeing the flashback and Sarah’s rejection of Jonah? Her attempts to be free? Jonah and his shooting the security guard – and the motive? Drugs, his relationship with Elias, the care for each other, Elias using him?

11. Elias, his fingers, the flashbacks, the debts, his motivations, the big man and the threats? Using Jonah and the relationship with Sarah? His domination of the big intruder? Listening, his mask off, wanting Sarah to apologise about her behaviour? The threats to everyone? The needle, the injection – and Kyle injecting the big man? Holding the group, his death? Jonah killing him?

12. The tough gangster, big, the issue of the money, the isolation, his being injected, his death?

13. Avery getting back into the house, the alarm, seeing her parents? The attack of the men? The brutality? Her getting free, getting into the car? The woman, the driving, the threats, her crashing the car? Her return to the house?

14. The call to the security firm, the phone calls, the gang taking over, the threats? The woman persuaded by Avery that it was a joke? The later arrival of the security guard, the nature of security? His being shot?

15. The cigarette lighter, Kyle getting free, Avery getting free? Moving to the outer room, the violence, the discovery of all the money?

16. The gasoline, setting the place alight, Jonah and his being burnt? The money going up in flames? Kyle and Sarah reconciled?

17. The escape, everything going up in smoke – but the family together? Their future?

18. The film bringing home the reality of burglary and home invasion? The rather over-the-top treatment and behaviour of the characters?