The Invisible Man - Review

The fantastic horror movie Invisible Man is an amazing piece of work. The picture does not repeat the plot of the work of Herbert Wells, even though there is an invention in the film, thanks to which the body goes into an invisible state. Here, modern scientific development is used with a cynical purpose - to pursue and punish a victim who believes that she managed to escape from the offender.

Universal Pictures has already made one attempt to restart the old stories in a new way. So when the adventure film the Mummy came out with Tom Cruise in the leading role, his audience rating was not as good as we would like, so the studio did not promote the continuation of the ancient curse and the living dead, postponing plans for creating a franchise.

After such a failure, Universal Pictures did not abandon the idea of ​​retaking other classic monster films, deciding to approach storytelling from a different perspective. The next project was the fantastic thriller The Invisible Man, the script of which was written by Leigh Whannell (directed the film Upgrade, and was also one of the authors of the idea of ​​the bloody massacre in the Saw film series). He created modern history by shifting the focus from the mad inventor to his chosen victim.

This is a good choice of plot, since the last film about an invisible man, shot by director Paul Verhoeven, which many viewers still remember. The film released in 2000, followed the scientist who developed the invisibility formula and gradually turned into a brutal killer. Verhoeven showed all stages of his madness and pleasure received from violence, fully revealing the identity of the one who gained an advantage over others.

In the new film, Leigh Whannell, who also worked on directing, is different. At the center of history, he puts a woman named Cecilia (Elizabeth Moss), who is trying to escape from her tyrant husband. When she changes her place of residence, she is informed of the death of her spouse. Now Cecilia is completely free, besides rich - her husband, engaged in optical development, left her his fortune. This is the best time to start from the beginning, no longer living in fear. However, Cecilia does not leave the feeling that someone is watching her, trying to drive her crazy.

The film the Invisible Man is an example of a modern psychological thriller that does not abuse special effects, using them less often than expected. Mainly in tension, the viewer is kept by the operator, who takes broad plans, hinting that unexpected movement may occur in some part of the screen. Along with him, loud and harsh music written by Benjamin Wallfisch (author of the soundtrack to the movie Blade Runner 2049) insistently escalates the atmosphere. Over time, you get used to it, but at the beginning of the picture, disturbing melodies set the right atmosphere.

And, of course, the best moments of the thriller work out thanks to the acting from Elizabeth Moss (known from the series The Handmaid’s Tale). The actress perfectly conveys tension, trembling with each muscle of the face. As events unfold, Elizabeth Moss does not lose credibility, reaching the point of physical exhaustion.

Unfortunately, all the successful tricks of the movie are spoiled by the general predictability of the film, which lies even in its title. We are well aware of who is mocking the heroine and why, so at some point, everything becomes very obvious and no longer scary (but still invisible).

By the middle of the picture, the script will present some surprises, recalling that the tyrant not only mocks the main character but also knows how to manipulate others. Leigh Wannell for some time returns interest in the plot, frightening the hopelessness of the situation.

In general, the film Invisible Man successfully talks about the impact of domestic violence on the victim, using fantastic elements. The invisibility of the criminal in front of other people enhances the feeling of powerlessness, but since this is a Hollywood movie, the oppressor receives a worthy rebuff. And Universal Studios is likely to release spin-offs soon.

I would recommend everyone to watch this movie. Not only it is a decent movie, but a good depiction of women, who are harassed by their abusive spouses every day.