Cancel your plans, buy your tickets and get to the cinema because the first great horror film of 2020 has arrived with Leigh Whannell’s remake of the classic Universal monster movie The Invisible Man. Updated for a modern audience, the film addresses the issues of suffocating relationships and obsession, told through a game of cat and mouse between a woman fleeing her abusive boyfriend who is hellbent on controlling her and who just happens to have discovered the secret to invisibility. Anchored by a masterful performance from Elisabeth Moss, this decades-old tale is given new life with timely social commentary, excellent sound design and tension that will shred the nerves of even the most hardened horror veterans.
Moss stars as Cecilia, a normal young woman in a particularly undesirable situation: beaten down and desperate to escape the controlling grasp of her possessive, tech-millionaire boyfriend Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). After making a daring, late night escape from Adrian’s house/prison complex, Cecilia lives in fear that her tormenter will make a return. Refusing to leave the house of childhood friend James (Aldis Hodge), Cecilia hides away until she learns of her former flame’s sudden suicide. In an unusual turn of events, Cecilia discovers that Adrian has left her his fortune, provided she maintains a period of good mental health. From here the games begin as Cecilia begins to notice increasingly bizarre occurrences around the house, as stoves catch alight and objects move seemingly on their own. This all leads her down a dark and dangerous path as she loses her grip on what is real and risks her connections to the people closest to her in an effort to prove that Adrian is really behind all of this and that he has cracked the secret to true invisibility.
Let’s get right to it: The Invisible Man is a great horror movie. Leigh Whannell’s ability to control the pacing and timing of scares is incredible and he is one of the best working in the business today. Having worked with James Wan on the Saw and Insidious franchises before, it is clear that Whannell knows his way around a jump scare, in fact he may be one of the best in horror right now at making a proficient and impactful jump scare, with emphasis on the impactful. These scares hit hard, never relying on the clichéd jump scare trend of fake outs before the real scare or the cutting of the music from the scene as the spook hits. In addition to being written into the world of the film in a way that makes complete sense and fits with the atmosphere and themes, they’re also shot beautifully by cinematographer Stefan Duscio, with long unbroken pans between rooms and corridors allowing you to get a grasp of the environment while also building tension. Adding to the atmosphere of dread and obsession is the decision to shoot most scenes with space intentionally left empty on the side or corner of the screen to insinuate the presence of the invisible Adrian. It’s a small thing but it really goes that extra mile to ingratiate you in the story and have you understand the fear Cecilia feels at all times.
That brings us to the other key strength of The Invisible Man; it’s a smart horror film. Not only do you get an excellent, fully realized protagonist in Cecilia who the audience can fully empathize with, but you also get a healthy dose of social commentary that never feels preachy or detracts from the fun of watching a horror film in a packed theatre. These are some heavy themes we’re dealing with, including obsession and learning to live with PTSD and other forms of depression and mental illness and it couldn’t be more relevant in today’s society. Cecilia is not only running from the “physical” invisible man but also the emotional trauma that she has endured as a result of his abuse. The lack of belief she experiences from those around her is a sad reflection of people in these circumstances in real life and Whannell addresses this in a way that is never heavy handed but which will keep you thinking long after you leave the theatre.
None of these scares or social commentary mean anything though, if you don’t have a compelling, likeable lead to carry the film and fortunately Whannell has found his muse in Elisabeth Moss, one of the best character actresses working today. She owns the role of Cecilia, bringing a pathos to the character that really makes the audience feel and understand the isolation she experiences as the world around her refuses to believe her. That’s not to say she plays a one-note character, as Moss imbues the character with a strength that rivals some of the greatest final girls in horror history, refusing to stray from her belief that Adrian is indeed stalking her. By the time the credits roll you completely understand and support her character, and if early box office indications are anything to go by, she is a character that audiences would absolutely want to follow in a sequel. Outside of Cecilia, Oliver Jackson-Cohen excels as the villainous Adrian, casting an imposing presence early on and bringing a gravitas and sense of creepiness that lasts the entire film, even when he can’t be seen. Aldis Hodge and Euphoria‘s Storm Reid round out the cast as Cecilia’s childhood friend and his daughter who bring a fun and comforting family energy to the proceedings. They deliver good work but ultimately don’t have too much to do and their involvement in the story lessens towards the end as we shift all focus to Cecilia.
The Invisible Man is an excellent spin on a classic monster movie. A modern update that not only brings the property into current times but which also elevates the source material into a discussion on important topics like depression, obsession and PTSD. That it does this while remaining an incredibly scary film is a testament to the talents of director Leigh Whannell – who follows up 2018’s Upgrade with another absolute winner – and Elisabeth Moss, who delivers one of her finest and most nuanced performance of her career. Not since 2018’s Hereditary has a horror film fired on all cylinders like this, and while you may not be able to see the titular character, you shouldn’t miss your chance to see this on the big screen.
The Invisible Man stars Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge & Storm Reid – in cinemas now.