While horror movie watching is a year-round event, this is that time of year when all of us can flourish, embracing the weird.
So, come one, come all, beasties unite! It’s Haunt-Tober time!
When it comes to taking on a canon like this, a film needs to truly stand out, and The Invisible Man certainly achieves that. Adapted from the classic H.G. Wells novel, this film cleverly infuses a modern flair into the story by exploring themes such as domestic abuse, gaslighting, and the impact of technology on our lives, all while maintaining its ability to frighten.Â
Our protagonist Cecilia Kass played by the remarkable Elisabeth Moss, manages to escape the clutches of her abusive husband, the wealthy optics engineer and businessman Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). It requires her to go to extraordinary lengths to disappear, and even after she discovers that he is supposedly “dead,” her instincts persistently tell her that he is still relentlessly hunting her down.
She stays with her childhood friend, Detective James Lanier (Aldis Hodge), and his teenage daughter, Sydney (Storm Reid).
Moss’s performance exhibits incredible depth, portraying her character with unwavering intensity and strength, despite her crumbling circumstances. The antagonist, too, is menacing, intelligent, and maniacal, embodying a mad scientist whose mind-boggling inventions serve to further his own agenda of control.
The Invisible Man is a thought-provoking thriller that expertly utilizes suspense to keep the audience in the dark. The cinematography skillfully employs angles and effects to emphasize the concept of invisibility, further immersing viewers in the experience.
The film masterfully blends psychological horror, jump scares, and an ongoing sense of unease, continually leaving you on edge, wondering when and if the invisible man will reveal himself. Is he watching at this very moment? Lurking in the shadows? The terror experienced in this film extends beyond Moss‘s exceptional portrayal, as the keen direction creates a palpable paranoia that sends shivers down the audience’s collective spine.
The script doesn’t waste a moment. There’s no excess and each scene and line of dialogue or purposeful lack thereof is thrilling. Writer/director Leigh Whannell has really honed his craft and this is just another stunner to add to his filmography.
And let’s not forget to mention the absolutely stellar visual effects that truly add to the film’s overall impact, and push this film into an inherently unsettling place: the idea of being watched.
The Invisible Man is an intelligent and creepy adaptation that is anchored by one of Moss‘ best.
Today’s winner:
Wonderfully Weird & Horrifying 