Leigh Whannell’s “The Invisible Man” hits cinemas on Friday and reviews are now out and heavily praising the film.
Having seen it myself a few weeks ago, I thoroughly agree. Whannell takes the template of a 1990s psychological thrillers with classics like “Dead Calm” and “Malice,” and blends it with the main concept of the title character to create a unique stalker drama with a where empty rooms pose their own threat.
The focus also isn’t on the uniquely sinister perpetrator, but the abuse survivor who is his victim. With 30 reviews counted, the film sits at 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and holds a 7.68/10 average rating. Here’s a sampling of review quotes:
“It’s a #MeToo horror film that couldn’t be any more timely if it shuffled into a courtroom with a Zimmer frame.” – Philip De Semlyen, Time Out
“Whannell realizes how much tension he can milk from long, uneasy scenes where Moss is stalking around a seemingly empty room.” – Chris Evangelista, Slashfilm
“[A]s stressed, and distressed, as Cecilia is most of the time, Moss provides a core of inner strength that invites investment in her abilities and, ultimately, belief in her survival.” – Todd McCarthy, Hollywood Reporter
“There’s fun to be had here, thanks to Moss and an involving set-up, and given the state of multiplex horror, especially at this time of year, this is a striking diversion.” – Benjamin Lee, The Guardian
“‘The Invisible Man’ is devious fun, with a message that’s organic enough to hit home: that in a toxic relationship, what you see is what you get – but what gets to you is what you don’t see.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety
“At the heart of what makes The Invisible Man work as well as it does is an ingenious approach to the specific terror that the monster can inspire.” – Eric Eisenberg, CinemaBlend
Costing just $7 million to make, the movie is on track for an opening weekend haul around triple its budget in the U.S. alone. Elisabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge, Storm Reid and Oliver Jackson-Cohen co-star.
