"The Invisible Man" title character belongs to the long list of classic monster films that Universal Pictures produced. There are iterations of the character in six different films which all started with the 1933 James Whale movie of the same name. The character was a part of Universal Pictures' Dark Universe which connected stories in the production company's movies beginning in 1920! Other monsters include The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Phantom of the Opera, Dracula, the Werewolf of London, and so many more.
Here, Leigh Whannell presents "The Invisible Man" in a production he holds directing, writing, and executive producing credits for. I'd also like to mention this epic creator is responsible for writing several films I adore like "Upgrade," "Insidious," and "Saw" among others, so I encourage anyone to check out his roster of films.
The film stars Elisabeth Moss who plays Cecilia. When Cecilia escapes an abusive relationship she thinks her life can restart as she is finally learning to heal. That healing is cut short with the paranoia that festers in her life after committing to the belief that her ex-boyfriend has rendered himself invisible and is stalking her. Additional actors include Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid, and Michael Dorman.
At the top of the film, it's clear that sound will be the masterful story weaver in this thriller. Crashing waves are the backdrop during Cecilia's escape from her abuser. It's a repeating alert of imminent danger, but still so peaceful on the shore. Throughout the film, one can listen for these moments of peaceful ambiance announcing a prowling threat.
Elisabeth Moss has delivered a lead performance like no other in the genre. Moss carries her performance from beginning to end, never letting a viewer doubt her range. On top of that, she plays on the side of herself as more and more people around her begin to fade in their relationships, but her character's willpower and determination amazes.
Packing the heaviest and most attractive element of this movie is the shock value. When all is left to the viewer's eye in the official trailer, think again because the best ones aren't even hinted at in the marketing. "The Invisible man" has great, quality effects present for a film that has physical struggles with an invisible character. At times, laughable for the fight to carry long with an opponent you can't see, but worthy of the viewing nonetheless.
Typically I am an excellent judge of story appeal based on a trailer, but here I have stand completely corrected because "The Invisible Man" was as fun to watch as it was shocking to experience. If you think you've seen it all based on the marketing, think again because I guarantee you'll still leave the film smiling and jaw-dropped.
