The Invisible Man (2020)
Quarantine hasn’t been the easiest, I never knew how much I enjoyed going out and hanging out with people other than my immediate family until the COVID-19 outbreak. There’s so many things that I took for granted before this strange, scary time. While I mostly watch movies at home, going to a theater is always a special experience. I really miss being able to do such simple outings like seeing movies in theaters.
The last movie I saw in the theater was the Invisible Man starring Elizabeth Moss. Moss plays Cecilia Klass, the wife of a maniac scientist who stages his own suicide. He uses his power and money to become invisible to stalk, torture, and terrorize Cecilia. With the police not believing her story, Cecilia takes control of her own destiny and retaliates.
The concept of an “Invisible Man” and invisibility in general is not a new idea. H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel is also titled “The Invisible Man”, and is about a scientist who goes mad and after learning how to acheive invisibility, uses this power for negative purposes such as murder. Ralph Ellison also wrote a novel in 1952 called “Invisible Man”, but is very different from Wells’ book because Ellison’s novel explores themes of black identity, race, and ideology. Wells’ novel was adapted into film in the 1933 science fiction/horror classic, The Invisible Man.
2020’s The Invisible Man is nothing like the other two books and movie also made about an invisible man. Director Leigh Whannell’s film takes a #metoo, feminist take on the horror classic. Part of why I liked this movie is because just simply remaking the original movie would be dated and repetitive, Whannell’s version works well because it blends the new story, characters, and themes nicely with the timeless idea of “what would you do if you were invisible?”.
This movie is really scary. There’s jump scares and suspense, but the scariest part about this movie is the themes of domestic violence and how an abusive partner can be just as terrifying when they’re nowhere to be seen. I highly recommend for anyone who loves horror and old hollywood, but make sure to not watch this alone!
Movie poster for the 1933 Invisible Man movie.
Still from 1933 Invisible Man movie.
Book cover for Ralph Ellison’s novel.
Book cover for H.G. Wells’ novel.
