The Invisible Man Movie Review: You Can't Unsee Elisabeth Moss' Brilliant Performance in This Scary Film

The Invisible Man Movie Review: Departing from the Dark Universe that started off with The Mummy, Leigh Whannell directed The Invisible Man, produced by James Blum, releases as a standalone film. It is a relief, since the plot could drive on its own staying true to its soul without caring about serving a 'greater' purpose of fitting into an elaborate movie-Rube Goldberg machine. Elisabeth Moss stars as the heroine of this horror film, which seems like a mix of Hollow Man and Sleeping With The Enemy. Moss' Cecilia tiptoes out of the clutches of a sexually, emotionally and physically abusive partner one night. The lead tiptoeing around seemingly empty well-lit rooms is the pace of the entire film.

You see, the partner has figured out a way to make himself invisible, or that's what Cecilia claims. She gets flung across the room, pushed on the table, her hair pulled, dragged, and beaten up by an invisible entity. But that is the least of the horror she faces. Her life gets manipulated; the 'invisible man' tries to break her emotionally. If you want to look closely, you can find this mirroring how abusers behave in reality. But I will suggest trying not to find a deeper meaning to this movie. Maybe there is none intended by the makers.

We all, at least once in life, have been scared of an empty corner in the room, thinking if the uninhibited space is an illusion. We have felt the hair on the neck stand up, looking at a deserted road. Here, Leigh Whannell makes the best use of this unseeable fright.

Cinematography by Stefan Duscio is brilliant, as the camera moves around capturing the grim emptiness of the space around Moss. You would not expect such engaging camera angles in a horror movie. The cinematography switches gears and becomes sharper and swifter when there is action unfolding on the screen.

The camera gets a perfect companion in music. Composer Benjamin Wallfisch keeps the music to its lowest possible volume, letting the creepy noise of the ambience take over, to keep the tension intact. The score amps up when tension is thrown out the window, and there is a pure terror on screen.

The drawback of the film is that it becomes pretty one-note by the end. It feels like a crescendo, but instead, the plot maintains the slow pace, in the end, never letting the thrill reach the highest point. A kettle put on simmer flame but never allowing the water to come to a boil.

And of course, keep logic at bay when you are watching a horror movie. The rule applies here as well.

Watch The Trailer Of The Invisible Man Here:

Performances

This film will once again prove how horror as a genre gets snubbed at the popular award show. Elisabeth Moss is a force to reckon with. She becomes the character. She wears no makeup and appears in sweatshirts throughout the film. She is NOT the horror film heroine screaming terror but still being dolled up for the male gaze. She is not there for the male gaze until the last final minutes. And even when she is dolled up, and she is told she "looks amazing", it feels organic, as it is exactly what she wanted to be - a distraction.

Moss doesn't go overboard when she is hysterical. She makes her breakdown looks so convincing. What an amazing performance! She carries the film on her shoulders. Rest of the cast don't get much to do, but perform their limited part well.

Yay

Elisabeth Moss

Music

Camera work

Twists

Nay

Dull ending

A couple of cool scenes from the trailer are missing. Another disappointing trailer bait.

Final Thoughts

The Invisible Man is a gripping entertainer from the start to 10 minutes before the end. A lot of watch from-between-the-fingers-moments to keep you at the edge. Watch it for Moss' brilliant performance, if nothing.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 27, 2020 07:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).