The Invisible Man Review

By: Amanda Guarragi 

The Invisible Man is a film that has left me speechless.

Leigh Whannell developed a story that suited the lore of the title character so well. It’s definitely a departure from the original monster movie and it’s a modernized take on the meaning of being “The Invisible Man”.

Not only did Whannell write a fantastic story, he also created a chilling, isolated atmosphere that affected his protagonist, as well as the audience. You feel everything with Cecelia because of the framing and camera movements, it feels as if you’re stuck with her on this journey. The sound design is also something that flowed nicely throughout the film and was utilized at the right moments, for dramatic effect.

The Invisible Man is about a woman, named Cecelia (Elisabeth Moss), who attempts to leave her abuser. As her story unfolds, she discusses her trauma and what she went through with Adrian (Oliver Jackson – Cohen). Cecelia goes to live with her friend James (Aldis Hodge), who also happens to be a police officer. Cecelia then suffers from PTSD from her time spent locked up with her ex-boyfriend. Whannell handles the subject matter quite well and addresses the issue, of no one believing women, in a frustrating and exaggerated way.

The way I interpreted the meaning of “The Invisible Man” in regards to this particular story was, that even if someone, who was a victim manages to leave their abuser, they will always be with them. They may not physically be present but the trauma will leave its mark in the most brutal way. Whannell redesigned the meaning of this monster and the story is written, so that we can understand and empathize with Cecelia, as she tries to heal and overcome this nightmare.

Elisabeth Moss gave one of the best performances of her career AND of the year so far. From the very first moment Cecelia opens her eyes at the start of the film, she captures you and holds you with her until she closes them at the end of this film. Everything about her performance was absolute perfection, she made you feel everything with her and it was painful to sit through. It was frustrating majority of the time because no one believed her and that was the point of this film, to make you understand what victims of abuse go through.

The Invisible Man is poignant, brutal and rough to sit through. It is a film that the message demands to be heard. It’s almost difficult to discuss it with anyone, unless they’ve seen it because you it’s hard not to spoil it. Every situation was strategically placed and the execution of the scenes involving “The Invisible Man” were shot extremely well, with the help of fantastic special effects.