The Invisible Man, although not anything like the original story, finds its own and presents a horrifying scenario that will shake audiences to their very core. Extremely well done and effective in every way, check out this film today!
“Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy scientist, Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding. But when her abusive ex suddenly dies, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel while she desperately tries to prove she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.”
The original The Invisible Man film ranks as one of my favorites of the Universal Monster films. Claude Rains was such a commanding presence as Dr. Jack Griffin, with a mesmerizing voice that had to be unique so as to convey the performance without being able to see the actor. He was also the most ruthless, derailing a train of hundreds of people on a whim. The new Monster Universe that Universal has created for modern day hasn’t done all that well honestly, but The Invisible Man has seemed to turn that around.
While the original film focused mainly on the character of Griffin and his pursuits of science, this film goes in the complete opposite direction, dealing with something far more frightening: abuse. While the 1933 film couldn’t have even dreamt of the possibility of exploring such themes, this one does, and is able to connect with audiences far better than just an invisible man running around creating chaos. One might even go as far to say this really isn’t about an invisible man at all, but the horrific nature of abuse, just with the invisible part of the story tacked on to give it an edge.
What makes the film so effective is the paranoia it creates. Cecilia doesn’t know anything about the work that her ex, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), is involved in, but the sheer fact that he was so abusive and controlling makes her believe that even in death he is still out there watching her, waiting for his chance to strike. I can only imagine the horror of living through a relationship such as that, but feel that the fear is entirely justified dealing with such a sick individual who is able to control their partner through manipulation and violence. It’s this unknown that also creates the doubt in Cecilia. Is she going crazy? Some of the very subtle things that begin to happen around her calls her own sanity into doubt, as well as making her look quite crazy to others, and it is this isolation that the audience finds so frightening.
Elisabeth Moss gives a phenomenal performance, pretty much carrying the entire weight of the film on her shoulders. From the first sequence we are with her the entire time, watching her run for her life as she escapes the prison-like home she isn’t allowed to leave. We see the fear instilled in her where she can’t even leave her house, the reluctance to believe in Adrian’s death, the joy she wants to spread with the money he’s left her, and the descent into paranoia and madness as things begin happening around her. It’s a lot to convey, especially for a theme that may hit close to home for some, but she does an excellent job at presenting the themes of a victim and someone who fights back against it.
Director Leigh Whannell is someone who has really impressed me as of late. His last film Upgrade was one of my favorites of 2018 and I was very intrigued with the direction he went with on The Invisible Man. Although I believe the Dark Universe that Universal wanted to create is dead, this new plan of individual films has gotten off to a great start.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed the film in basically every aspect, the Invisible Man fan in me felt partially let down for a couple different reasons. Mainly, the Invisible Man really has no story to him. I won’t give away some of the surprise details of the last act, but all you ever know about him is that he is a scientist in the field of optics, is rich beyond anyone’s wildest dreams, and abuses women. Even in films that emulated the story like Hollow Man, we still stayed with Kevin Bacon during all the horrible things he did, but it was that change from respected scientist to murderer that was the most intriguing parts of the story. Also, the change from Dr. Griffin being a scientist using a formula to achieve invisibility is vastly different than from using technology. In all these films and stories, he’s desperately seeking a cure to be able to bring himself back, but here, he isn’t The Invisible Man, he’s a man with an invisible suit, and that changes the fundamentals of the entire ethos of the original story.
Video
The Invisible Man is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 2.39:1. This transfer looks exceptional. A large portion of the film takes place in the dark. Despite the low lighting, things are very well detailed and clear. The entire film has a unique look to it, with muted colors that make everything look very dreary, keeping with the tone of the film. This tone continues with the use of color, nothing very bright or colorful, but darker, sleek colors.
Audio
The audio is presented in Dolby Atmos. The majority of the sound you’ll hear will be coming through the center channel in the form of dialogue, but the surrounds are utilized nicely for atmospheric effects and the score, which is quite effective. Levels between these are well balanced, providing a strong audio track to accompany such a great film.
Special Features
There is a nice list of extras on this set that you’ll want to check out if you enjoyed the film. These include:
- Moss Manifested
- Director’s Journey with Leigh Whannell
- The Players
- Timeless Terror
- Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Leigh Whannell
The Invisible Man, although not anything like the original story, finds its own and presents a horrifying scenario that will shake audiences to their very core. Extremely well done and effective in every way, check out this film today!
