The Horror Show
The Invisible Man
by Leigh Whannell
There is nothing in this world more disturbing than an unseen threat, and they come in all flavors like disease, aliens, or ghosts. However, there is a threat that is unseen that affects men and women on a daily basis: the unseen horror of being stalked. Leigh Whannell's version of The Invisible Man is such a great example of that terror.
The film begins right out of the gate with Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) finally getting the courage to leave her abusive ex. Already this version is updated to a situation that happens a lot in the craptastic times we live in. It's no longer an insane scientist driven mad, but an abusive inventor traumatizing a woman that he's supposed to “love.” After Cecilia's sister relocates her to their cop friend's home, Cecilia begins to rebuild her life. She is learning how to be her own person, triumph over her fears, and reclaim her life when she receives news that her ex, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), is dead. Adrian's lawyer brother tells her that he has left her all of his money, all she has to do is not get arrested and she's set for life. This is where her nightmare begins. A constant wave of disbelief chipping away at Cecilia's sanity. Is someone there? Are they watching me? Did I see that, or is it just my mind playing with me? Her life slowly crumbles at the hands of this invisible force.
The way this film is shot is brilliant. Long scenes held on empty places like a vacant room or hallway gives the viewer a feeling that something is there. You start to feel Cecilia lose her grasp on what is real and what is just her mind playing tricks and for a while you start to doubt her. Adrian is manipulative to the highest degree, driving a wedge between Cecilia, her friends, and her family by doing things only someone unseen could do. Pushing her ever closer to being a person who can't trust anything she sees and, worst of all, what she can't see.
If you have any experience with domestic abuse or abuse of any kind, you understand that Adrian isn't the only invisible person in this story; Cecilia, too, is invisible. Most domestic abuse victims live with this invisible shroud around them, often hidden and separated from the ones they love and trust. They are kept invisible by their abusers and if they do get a chance to go to the authorities, it's swept under the rug or the abuser charms their way out of it just to go back to abusing the victim. I give Leigh Whannell props and respect for not just telling the story of an imaginary horror, but a true type of monster and a real life horror.
Leigh Whannell has written some of my favorite films and this is just another to add to that list. The fact that this came out right as the world shut down and still did amazing is a testament to his talent and the talent of everyone involved. Elisabeth Moss has been such a standout performer in everything I've seen her in. This is a powerful remake that does exactly what I think a remake should do, embrace the material and make it your own. Change it enough not to disrespect the source, but make it new and exciting! Too bad the other Universal Monsters haven't received this kind of treatment. I'd love to see every one of them get this kind of remake.
If you get the chance to watch The Invisible Man, do it. It's one of the best horror films I've seen this year. Don't let this one go unseen.
Robin Thompson, HMS
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