“The Invisible Man” Starts the Classic Monster Reboots on The Right Foot

If there is one thing you need to know about me as a film watcher/reviewer/obsessor, it is that Blumhouse Productions is easily one of my favorite production companies right now. Their resume includes “Split,” “Insidious,” “Ma,” “Us,” “Get Out,” and so many more great films. Have I mentioned that they’re one of few companies able to actively shoot films right now because they’re so on top of safety precautions? Because they are. Anyways, enough with the gushing. 

One of the few films released this year was “Invisible Man,” a reboot of-sorts with the classic monster the Invisible Man (you know, trenchcoat, maybe wraps around his face, sunglasses and a fedora? no?). Elisabeth Moss plays the main character in this modern-twist on the classic, which is an installment in Universal’s new reboot of these scary monsters including Dracula, The Wolf Man, etc. Super exciting stuff, and if they are anything like “The Invisible Man,” we are truly in for a treat. 

This reiteration of the monster movie follows Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss’ character), a wife to an abusive and wealthy tech genius. When I say this, please know it is within the first five minutes of the film, but she runs away from her husband and of course chaos ensues. You can never have anything nice in the presence of a narcissist, can you? The film follows Cecilia as she grapples with the fact that she knows she’s being followed by an invisible man, but everyone around her labels her as crazy. 

Maybe it’s because I haven’t sat in a theater in months, or maybe it’s because I haven’t had time to actually sit down and watch a movie in what feels like forever, but let me tell you one thing: this movie is a true delight. I haven’t watched a movie that truly felt so suspenseful in a very long time, and between the dim lighting and the fact that our antagonist is INVISIBLE created for just a truly fantastic watch. 

 Elisabeth Moss is a gem, having starred in shows and films like “The Handmaiden’s Tale,” “Mad Men,” “The Kitchen,” and a plethora of delightful indie movies. Her acting is amazing in the film, and she makes the scenes in which she combats her invisible assailant feel genuine. I know that sounds strange, but I can’t imagine acting in the capacity she had to, being thrown around a room by an unseeable force and still make us feel scared. 

“The Invisible Man” also led me in so many different directions, but in a good way. There were constantly new possibilities to unfold with every dramatic event that happened. Not only was I not fully able to figure out every plot twist, but I couldn’t even tell you they were coming. You come to quickly learn that there is very rarely a second of reprieve in this film, and it is this fast and engaging pacing that made me watch the credits with such joy that I had picked it, and that more reboots like this are set to come. 

I absolutely implore you to watch “The Invisible Man,” it is the perfect movie to watch for this Halloween season. It made me fall in love with Blumhouse Productions again, and I can only hope that the rest of Universal’s reboot line is as well done and modern as this one. 

Rating: 8 out of 10 ladders