The Invisible Man (2020)

 ☆ ☆ ½

The Invisible Man (2020) – L. Whannell

I realise this is a horror film but does it have to be so grim and depressing? Yes, it’s topical and relevant with the villain (some powerful Silicon Valley start-up millionaire), a bona fide example of toxic masculinity, gaslighting and controlling poor Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss), even apparently from beyond the grave. Except we are pretty certain, given the film’s title, that he really has just found a way to fake his own death and turn invisible, so as to better stalk his ex (who we see trying to flee his abuse at the start of the film, pre-fake death).  So, the film is simply a bunch of stunts where havoc (and murder) is inflicted by someone not there – cue special effects (which probably wowed everyone in 1933 but are pretty ho-hum these days).  And I guess there is a twist but I wasn’t encouraged to care enough to be intrigued or surprised by it, especially when a lot of the characters here don’t seem to stay in character anyway (i.e. friends and family suddenly turn cold). To her credit, Moss holds the film together and could be considered an example of an empowered woman (by the end, if not for most of the running time where she is a stereotypical “woman in peril”).  To conclude:  I wanted to like it, but could not.