THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020)

Elizabeth Moss

THE INVISIBLE MAN (2020). Written and directed by Leigh Whanell.

Cecelia Kass (Elizabeth Moss) finally manages to get away from her abusive and controlling boyfriend, Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), an optics genius, with the help of her sister, Emily (Harriet Dyer) and a cop-friend named James (Aldis Hodge). She relaxes for awhile when she learns that Adrian apparently committed suicide, but then weird things begin to happen which make her think that Adrian is not only alive, but stalking her -- invisibly. Is there any truth to her feelings, or is she losing her mind? Is Adrian still alive, or is someone else sneaking up on her in the night? 

Harriet Dyer with Moss

The Invisible Man has no relation to H. G. Wells' novel or film versions thereof, although the last name of "Griffin" is a nod to the protagonist of that novel. The Invisible Man is a slick, very well-made variation on Wells' classic tale that keeps you in suspense over what is really happening and who, if anyone, is doing what to whom. Director Leigh Whannell -- with the aid of a tense score by Benjamin Wallfisch --  keeps the creepiness factor at high level virtually throughout the movie. Elizabeth Moss offers an outstanding performance as Cecelia, with fine performances from the others named as well as Michael Dorman as Adrian's lawyer-brother and Storm Reid as James' teenage daughter. I might wish that some of the characters were better developed, but the movie is, understandably, mostly interested in tension and chills.

Fantasy or reality?

I believe The Invisible Man was simply meant to be an engaging thriller, but some critics and viewers have subscribed all manner of political motives to the movie. Some wish it was more "me/too," focusing more on the abuse suffered by Cecelia (interestingly her life with Adrian is never really shown) and others invoked that awful WOKE application simply because the hero in the film -- if he even is the hero -- is portrayed by a black actor and a couple of the white male characters are stinkers (in no way do I see this film as being guilty of "white-bashing.") Judge for yourself. I found The Invisible Man to be highly entertaining.

Verdict: The strengths of this film are hardly invisible. ***1/4.