The horrors you can’t see may be the worst of all. It’s unsuspecting and unpredictable. The Invisible Man thrives on that – brilliantly playing the unseen game to terrific, terrifying results. Physically and psychologically, it’s easy to see that writer/director Leigh Whannell (Upgrade) rips into both with social relevance and mounting tension. Staying in touch with its classic H.G. Wells roots, he’s brought to life a marvelous modern day monster movie that’s clever, chilling, and conscious of women being believed in the here and now.
Elisabeth Moss delivers a powerful performance as Cecilia Krass, a San Fran architect who is a prisoner within her own relationship with Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), a filthy rich optics innovator who likes to control every thing and every one. What Cecilia wears, says, thinks – it’s for her bastard boyfriend to decide. She has no choice in the matter. So can you blame her for sneaking out of the house and hitching a ride with her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer) to get the hell out of Dodge? She seeks safety in the suburbs with her cop-friend James (Aldis Hodge) and his daughter Sydney (Storm Reid).
Not long after, Cecilia is told some shocking news. Apparently saddened by her abandonment, Adrian has committed suicide. And the news keeps getting better as she is told by Adrian’s slimy lawyer brother Tom (Michael Dorman) that she’s become $5 million richer because of it. That’s a nice chunk of change to assist in starting a new life. How generous. We ain’t falling for it. Cecilia may look like she’s alone, but she certainly doesn’t feel like she’s alone. Her sanity suffers as the torment she thought she escaped follows her wherever she goes. To prove she’s not crazy, Cecilia has to confront what she ran away from.
There are your usual jump scares, but what frightens the most is Cecilia’s awful abuse that’s left scars from the inside out. Feeding on the fears of toxic masculinity and madness – this relevant, riveting reboot finds a dejected female character and slowly unveils her deep defiance for the audience to see and cheer. While not everything is in plain sight, Whannell and Moss superbly show what happens to the human spirit when it’s bent but not broken. What Moss is able to depict is beyond incredible – going to a place of overwhelming pain, anguish, and terror.
Whannel’s The Invisible Man is far from a madman dallying with his clever invention to punish. Through the twists and surprises, it’s something way more haunting and honest of the monsters that hide in plain sight and getting what they undoubtedly deserve.
Brandon Vick is a member of The Music City Film Critics’ Association, the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and the star of The Vick’s Flicks Podcast. Follow him on Twitter @SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
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