THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020)
The classic James Whale version of this story is one of my favourites from the period, so it was with some anxiety that I approached this new adaptation. It's been done repeatedly in the years since and even the original film had numerous sequels. There have been comedies, thrillers and even war movies based on the idea. Why do it all over again just to add another marquee title to the constant stop and start failure Universal monsters franchise? The state of this whole thing was frankly embarrassing after all, whether you consider the recent Johnny Depp vehicle that never came to be or the earlier League of Extraordinary Gentlemen debacle. So imagine my shock when the film that finally showed up was actually really good.
Despite having these concerns there was one thing that had piqued by interest early on; the director involved. Knowing that this was Leigh Whannell coming straight from the slick A.I. thriller Upgrade I had to wonder about his take on all of this. Would it be another near future thrill ride full of photographic eye candy and brutalist architecture? In some ways this is certainly true and the film is a visual treat thanks to a similarly minimalist mid-budget approach. The villain's lair and even some of the more mundane locations have a cool and clinical feeling with plenty of harsh lighting and clean lines. But does this turn the subject matter into another science fiction thriller? Not at all. For once this is a real horror movie.
Not only is this due to the near constant atmosphere of existential dread in the story, but it's because of the technical work on show. The camera glides around slowly and purposefully, sometimes sitting very still when required. The shadow and the framing of each scene adds to the growing sense of unease throughout. In some ways it's almost a relative of both Upgrade and Parasite in the way it looks and how suspense develops from the way it's been shot. Some set pieces have little to no dialogue and are driven by what can or can't be seen. This entire less-is-more approach mines so much out of the premise that it's crazy nobody has thought of doing this before.
The story itself also adds new dimensions to an already sinister and voyeuristic idea. In the 1930s Frank Griffin wanted to wreak havoc and cause fear, in ways that were emphasized by his long tirades about ruling the world with an invisible hand. Here the story centres around his in-name-only relative Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). Like his ancestor he is also a real monster but in disturbing new ways. He's not been driven mad or lost his sense of self thanks to new found powers. He was rotten from the start and this is just a new development. However the real master stroke is how his presence is barely shown (whether he's intentionally unseen for horror reasons or not) and the way it delivers so much character from the real star.
Our protagonist Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is the main reason that this is all so compelling. She's stuck in a trap, initially thanks to her relationship with Adrian, and later because of the lingering effect of his invisible grasp after her escape. The story holds nothing back despite being very subtle about all of this, and the central performance carries the whole idea to greater heights. Do invisible abusers control people every day like this? It certainly goes on in the real world. But this isn't some great subtextual narrative and things are very direct as Cecilia goes through various stages of grief and trauma. Adrian is still around somewhere; perhaps closer than she thinks.
There are only brief examples early on when this might be all in her head; when the rest of the cast isn't so easily convinced about her concerns. But there's enough time with the idea for it to work when all the gaslighting and revenge grows to truly malicious levels. Cecilia's sense of isolation and betrayal is easy to see on her face and even in her posture when things start to fall apart in her new life. Accompanying these layers of characterisation are several stand out horror moments. Some are drawn out and dread filled, others are shocking and sudden. Visual effects are used sparingly and to great effect like all the other ingredients here. It teases becoming an action movie in the third act only to pivot in new directions.
There are even surprises from secondary roles like Cecilia's housemate James (Aldis Hodge) and her sister Emily (Harriet Dyer). They're great supporting characters but shift between sources of comfort and nightmare angst at a moments notice. It's a movie that functions as both a great story, a great thriller, and a great example of sci-fi horror, done in a style that pushes all my buttons. You don't need to read deeply into this to see the themes, they're all clear to see. Will there be a sequel? Let's hope so. Will the Universal catalogue be given this fresh treatment? Probably. Let's hope it's done with some creativity and not just boardroom driven greed. Hopefully everyone involved gets to do more in this vein. Although they'll probably avoid making a screwball comedy like the 1940 iteration.
4/5
BONUS REVIEW
THE LIGHTHOUSE (2019)
The Witch director Robert Eggers is also building on his prior success by delivering another sinister tale of period accents and desperate isolation. This time even the aspect ratio is used to trap Winslow (Robert Pattinson) and Wake (Willen Dafoe) together as they try to work and survive on a remote island. Is this a fantastical story about a mythological sea creatures? There are even hints that it's a Lovecraftian nightmare about ancient powers coming up from the unknown depths. Perhaps they're both classical figures being eternally tormented. Or maybe this all just a story about lonely men getting more drunk and less sane as the days and weeks pass. Here you can read all sorts of things into the story and they're all pretty compelling.
It's probably thanks to the claustrophobia of the situation. Winslow is the younger lighthouse keeper stuck with hard labour and cleaning duties. Wake is the experienced one tending to the technical work with the light itself. One is quite and sober, the other is gnarled and superstitious. There's enough good characterisation here as their roles clash, even before all the tall tales and bizarre visions start to arrive. The constant sound of the island beacon and the noise of seawater and gulls also adds to the mood. It's really not a place people should be living, as if the filthy water and meagre rations aren't enough of a sign. It's a bleak tale full of simmering aggression and sexual frustration, as it slowly morphs into another beast entirely.
It's also often a sad human tale of two characters who chose this life for their own reasons. There are hints at past tragedy even if the truth is often obscured. On the other hand they're often a pretty funny double act. To balance out the grim realities there are plenty of overblown long winded tirades and bursts of violence that turn to laughter. Winslow's extended rant about Wake's lack of hygiene in particularly twists the situation into something darkly amusing. It's hardly a typical comedy pairing and the story is firmly set in an eerie mode. But there are elements of mundane cohabitation anyone can recognise under the all 19th Century jargon and the dialects. Again I have to hope that everyone involved goes on to work on more projects like this, although in this case it's hard to imagine it being repeated.
4/5
