A classic horror character is transplanted to our time in The Invisible Man, the latest from writer/director Leigh Whannell.
H.G. Wells sure came up with a doozy when he envisioned a man very much alive but unable to be seen. The prospect of someone unleashing mayhem without repercussion haunts our pop culture, and in a time of increased focus on the abuses of men, it’s only fitting he makes a return. This time he’s after an ex, or so she claims, despite everyone else thinking the scientist is dead. She’s the only one who knows just how abusive and manipulative he can be, though, and she must prove that to everyone else before he gets his revenge.
Taking on such a classic character is no small task, and neither is weaving in anxieties that hang on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Whannell has had a hand in using genre stories like this before, though, having reinvigorated gory horror for a post 9/11 world with his longtime writing partner, James Wan. They are responsible for the Saw and Insidious franchises, and Whannell, in time, branched out to earn his own acclaim.
He got a gift in landing Elisabeth Moss as this film’s lead, who has proven time and again that she’s up to any task you throw at her. Co-starring with her is Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Aldis Hodge, and Storm Reid. There’s a big risk of letdown here, but that’s because a quality team has assembled around a worthy premise. Maybe, just maybe, they can pull it off.
The Invisible Man is directed by Leigh Whannell and stars Elisabeth Moss, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and Aldis Hodge. It will be released in the US and UK on February 28th, 2020. For international release dates, click here.
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