The Invisible Man Review (3/6/2020)

In a year poised to be one of the best in recent memory for the horror genre, with highlights like the brilliant Color Out of Space and the somewhat hollow yet masterfully atmospheric The Lodge already having been released, and promising efforts like Candyman, Last Night in Soho and I’m Thinking of Ending Things still yet to be released, The Invisible Man stands out as perhaps the biggest surprise of the lot. A Blumhouse remake released early in the year directed by the writer of many of the Saw and Insidious films doesn’t carry particularly high expectations, but The Invisible Man knocks it out of the park with a brilliant story, unrelenting suspense and some excellent cinematography and acting that ties it all together.

The first thing that The Invisible Man does well is that it’s not really a remake so much as it is a reimagining. The Invisible Man is imagined by writer-director Leigh Whannell as a story of domestic abuse, portraying the sheer horror of being an abuse victim in an exaggerated yet still true to life manner. The plot follows a woman who, after leaving her controlling and abusive husband, finally begins to let herself start life anew after she hears word that her husband has killed himself. Of course, his death was faked, and really he has found a way to make himself invisible. After stalking her down, he begins to toy with her, isolating her one by one from people who don’t believe her story. The titular villain is ruthless, controlling and manipulative, a horrifying presence that becomes larger than life in a sickening way that only an abuser can be to the abused. As the plot unfolds, his actions become more and more inhumane, and the stakes rise higher and higher, until they arrive at an unforgettably satisfying finale.

The plot is a little on the nose at times and could perhaps benefit from a touch more ambiguity to better put the audience in the shoes of a woman being mercilessly gaslit into doubting her own sanity, it is regardless both one of the most accurate and nuanced looks at domestic abuse and emotional manipulation and a genuinely clever thriller filled with edge-of-your-seat suspense and wonderfully demented twists and turns. Some of these twists contain rather large leaps of logic that may put off more rational minded viewers, but this is a film that is more focused with theme and allegory rather than nitty gritty details, and logic issues are a much lesser problem regardless, and my suspension of disbelief was never shattered. It’s also worth mentioning that despite the heavy and disturbing subject matter, The Invisible Man is also a remarkably accessible film that manages to be as purely entertaining as it is scary and disturbing, and I think a lot of people will appreciate it all the more for it.

While the plot and writing reach lofty heights, the film stays grounded through excellent direction and a superb performance by Elizabeth Moss. Moss portrays all of the emotional nuances and pitfalls of being in the situation she’s in, and while she acts firm in her conviction, she also is very clearly fraying at the edges more and more. She’s experiencing horrors that are impossible to prove, yet have tangible consequences on both herself and others, and Moss takes this to heart and creates a truly believable character. The direction solidifies this, with the camera doing an excellent job establishing a sense of space and emphasizing the empty space surrounding the protagonist at all times. It almost hearkens back to a film like Alien, where wide shots are commonplace and yet almost nothing is actually shown save for just how vulnerable and out in the open the characters are. Watching it, I began to feel The Invisible Man’s presence in almost every shot, as he very well could be in view, if only we could see him. Much of the scares in this movie come from the disturbing storyline and clever camerawork rather than loud noises and cheap jump scares, and it’s all the better for it.

Ultimately, I can’t say if this will end up being the best horror movie of 2020, but it’s a strong standout in a year that’s shaping up to be an exceptionally memorable one for the genre. Despite some minor plot contrivances that may turn some people off, The Invisible Man is a smart, scary thrill ride that manages to be both as insightful and fun as it is scary and disturbing, with excellent direction and a marvelous lead performance that holds it all together. For fans of the genre this is definitely worth a watch.