The Invisible Man movie review

MOVIE TITLE:  The Invisible Man

RATING:  R

LENGTH:   2 hours, 4 minutes

Movie Review Mom GRADE:   B+

IN A NUTSHELL:

Universal Studios is attempting to reboot their Monster Universe with this movie.   Based on positive audience and critic reviews, this nail-biting thriller must might do the job.  Based on the popular H. G. Wells science fiction novel The Invisible Man, Director Leigh Wahnnell has proven himself quite talented in the horror genre.  He wrote the screenplay and directed the film.  Don’t let the Blumhouse name on the film scare you away.  This ain’t no Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island disappointment.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

• Extreme domestic violence, abuse
• Some profanity, including 1 F-bomb. A man starts to swear but then stops because a child is in the room.
• A teenage girl gets slapped really hard.
• Several deaths with blood, gore, and splatters 

THEMES:

• Control
• Power
• Truth
• Listen to your intuition.
• Toxic relationships
• You are stronger than you think.

THINGS I LIKED:

• Elisabeth Moss consistently offers a strong performance in everything she does. I first noticed her in Mad Men: Season 1 [Blu-ray] and was impressed.  She IS the film and does an excellent job carrying it.  Every time she tip-toes around a room and breathes heavily, it made me want to be extra quiet for her while sitting in my theater chair.
• I’ve always preferred subtly to in-your-face action in movies. This movie has it in spades because what you CAN’T see is so much scarier.
• While I never saw the Insidious horror serious because I really don’t like creepy movies, director Leigh Whannell has a solid reputation behind him and knows how to properly build tension with chilling scenes that start from the very first minute.  I hear he’s working on a new film:  Escape from New York   Fingers crossed that he does an equally good job on that reboot.
• Cool ocean wave intro.
• Suspenseful sound effects The Invisible Man (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
• Each scene takes it time. That might sound slow, but it’s perfectly tasty.
• The suggested camera angles that peek into a room around the corners and only show you parts of the room are extremely effective and affect you psychologically.  You find yourself squinting to be sure if you saw something or to look for something that the camera suggests is there.
• Have you ever felt someone looking at you? People have a Spidey sense about things like that.
• I loved the scene where you see Elisabeth Moss’ cold breath fog when she steps outside and then you see another one behind her. Creepy!
• I love twists!
• Lesson learned: Keep a fire extinguisher and knives in your kitchen.  Oh yeah, learn how to shoot a gun.

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE:

• Don’t watch the trailer before you watch the movie.  Too much information about scenes will ruin the fun.
• The movie could have been WAY more fun if it had been given a different name!  Because of it’s current title, you KNOW there is going to be an invisible man.  Imagine how much more intense it could be if you didn’t know that when the movie starts!  What do you think of the movie title “Breath”?  That’s the one I thought of.  Good, right?
• Too bad he couldn’t think of a better way to use his cool power of invisibility.  I mean…do something for good.
• There are several plot points and details that make no logical sense at all.  I could point them all out to you, but that would probably ruin the movie for you and I want you to enjoy it.  Try not to focus on them and you’ll enjoy the ride.
• The movie poster is way too dark.
• There have been several movies made about the Invisible Man story.  Fans of the story might be disappointed that this new addition to the concept doesn’t really add anything new, although it’s told well.
• It always frustrates me when characters on the screen don’t do what I think they should.  For example, if there’s a bad guy trying to kill you and he knocks someone else’s gun onto the floor near you, pick up that gun!  Quickly!

INTERESTING LINES:

• “That’s the sad reality about money and power – they buy you people.” – Cecilia Kass  (Elisabeth Moss)

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@TrinaBoice