By Paul Hall
Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) is trying to get away from an abusive relationship. Her boyfriend Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) controls every aspect of her life and has even told her she will never get away from him.
Cecilia’s sister Emily (Harriet Dyer) picks her up and hides her with a police officer friend, James (Aldis Hodge), and his daughter, Sydney (Storm Reid). When Emily gives Cecilia the news that Adrian has taken his own life, Cecilia starts to relax just a bit. But creepy coincidences are just around the corner.
As strange things start happening around Cecilia, she is convinced that they are not coincidences or just in her head, but that Adrian is there, only invisible. You can imagine how this declaration plays out with those around her. Stalking is truly an evil thing, but when those Cecilia trusts believe that this is less a case of stalking and more a case of delusions, things get lonely for the woman who suffered abuse on a regular basis.
As Adrian continues to torment Cecilia, or at least that’s what she believes, a wedge is driven between her and each of those who love her. Can she survive an additional chapter of abuse, and what really is happening to her?
The Invisible Man has long been regarded as a member of Universal Studios’ classic monsters. To create the monster in the present day, writer/director Leigh Whannell develops him as a stalker who has been known for the mental torture he has inflicted on those around him. This has a way of resonating with a contemporary moviegoer. That connection is important to elicit the right kind of fear and tension.
Moss is a marvelous choice to bring the strong yet broken Cecilia to life. She is able to in one instant seem vulnerable and broken, and in others exude a strength and willingness to survive and start again.
I felt the tension, I looked at everything differently when I left the theater and every noise convinced me to do a double take. That was the job they tried to do, and it was successful.
Fear is a real thing, and when you cannot see what you fear, it is easy to panic. For The Invisible Man, I looked beyond the contrived moments and locked in on the feelings of fear and panic. Those feelings work and are disturbing despite the potholes that exist. I see you, The Invisible Man, and I like it.
Paul’s Grade: B
The Invisible Man
Rated R
Stars: Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge
Director: Leigh Whannell
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