Movie Review: The Invisible Man
by Julie Perez

Maybe the best thing that The Invisible Man does is make the audience decide whether or not they’re going to believe the abuse that a woman has endured, even though they haven’t seen it.

The thing about psychological thrillers is that you can’t help but wait for the twist. As you sit in that movie theater, your brain can work overtime in an attempt to find the twist before its revealed. In The Invisible Man, Leigh Whannell uses the audience’s imagination to create the kind of villain that threatens to haunt your nightmares.

The film begins, in the early hours of the morning, as Cecilia (played by Elisabeth Moss) tiptoes around her beach-front home and gathers items that she needs to leave her sleeping husband. The tension begins and takes a hold of you in these moments; don’t expect it to release its grip for the remainder of the film. Though I’ll admit to having limited knowledge of thrillers, there’s no denying that The Invisible Man creates an intense experience that you won’t easily forget.

You can no longer deny the power that Elisabeth Moss has; she can break your heart with a glance and she truly outdid herself in this film. She portrays the desperation over not being believed in a way that makes you instinctively reach for her. Though your heart aches for what Cecilia has gone through, Elisabeth Moss makes you believe that she’ll find a way out of her situation. It’s in her determination that the story truly excels. Her powerful performance quickly rooted Cecilia in reality for me and her panic quickly became palpable. Though my eyes were constantly searching to catch everything on the screen, my belief in Cecilia never faltered. Elisabeth is an unmeasurable talent but if I can request one thing is: please somebody cast her in a comedy!

Clearly, Elisabeth Moss is the root of the film but some may argue that Aldis Hodge, who plays Cecilia’s friend James Lanier, is the heart of it. The platonic relationship between James and Cecilia allowed for moments of levity in the anxiety-filled film. Even when James, beyond his better judgment, allowed his belief in Cecilia to falter; he continued to show up for her. James is a loyal man, James is a good father and James is a protective man; for reference, this is what we mean when we ask for better representation. Bravo Aldis Hodge!

Leigh Wannell utilized every minute of the film to his advantage. From the way he framed his shots, to the unbelievable musical score by Benjamin Wallfisch, to the moments he allowed to breathe; I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. He allowed the narrative to turn your emotions upside down and even when you felt like you knew what the twist was, it still found ways to surprise you.

It’s only February and 2020 is already off to a phenomenal start in the world of film. Have you seen the number one movie in America yet? Catch The Invisible Man in a theater near you! Fair warning: maybe don’t watch this film on a night when you’re going to come home to an empty apartment.