101. The Invisible Man; movie review

THE INVISIBLE MAN
Cert 15
124 mins
BBFC advice: Contains strong bloody violence, threat, language, domestic abuse

If the number of times I was prompted to leap from my seat is a barometer, The Invisible Man must be accepted as an accomplished and effective horror.
I am a bit of a fan of Leigh Whannell since the first Insidious movie a decade ago - I still rate it as one of my favourite horror films.
In The Invisible Man, he takes the HG Wells story premise very loosely and brings it into the modern-day through a spotlight on technology.
His success in the low-key film Upgrade a couple of years ago clearly stimulated his thinking along these lines.
Here, Elisabeth Moss stars as the victim of an abusive partner (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and makes a daring escape from their seaside mansion only to be constantly in fear of him tracking her down even after she disappears into hiding, helped by her sister (Harriet Dyer), their longstanding friend (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid).
It seems that she need worry no more when he is reported dead and leaves a big lump of money to her.
However, her sanity falls into question when she becomes convinced that he is stalking her, albeit that he is invisible.
This is Moss's film and she is super as The Invisible Man's victim - it really feels as if she is losing her mind as she battles with an adversary nobody can see.
As said, this isn't any old hackneyed invisible man - his method of creation and his torture of his victim are very 2020.
Indeed, it not only prompted me to jump five times - I gasped out loud twice.
They are good stats - I watch so many films that very few manage to stir my emotions.
However, I am reserved with my final mark because the hand is overplayed, particularly in the movie's early stages when the needle seemed to get a bit stuck.
If it had been half an hour shorter, it could have well been the best horror I had seen since Insidious.

Reasons to watch: Effectively creepy
Reasons to avoid: Does go on a bit

Laughs: None
Jumps: Five
Vomit: None
Nudity: None
Overall rating: 7.5/10

Did you know? The Invisible Man was originally a science fiction novel by H.G.Wells. Originally serialised in Pearson's Weekly in 1897, it was published as a novel the same year. 

Final word. Leigh Whannell: "I wanted the audience to buy into it, like it could happen tomorrow. It feels like tech is the best way to do that.” Bloody Disgusting

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