‘The Invisible Man’ a suspenseful, unexpected thriller | Entertainment – UT Daily Beacon

The Invisible Man takes the abusive, toxic relationship to a whole new level.

While previews for this film seemed to make it out to be just another scary movie about a haunting, viewers soon realize that this is a movie about a haunting but it twists this classic trope into a very interesting and completely never before seen (pun intended) storyline. Moderate spoilers ahead.

The Invisible Man centers around Cecelia Griffith, played by Elizabeth Moss from The Handmaids Tale fame. Viewers can easily see as the film begins that Cecelia is absolutely terrified of her husband, Adrian, as the exposition shows her painstakingly tip-toeing out of her house to escape and get to safety.

While the audience has no prior backstory to this woman or her relationship, they are automatically rooting for her to get away, internally shouting at the character to run as fast as she can.

Cecelia is soon picked up by her sister, Emily, who shelters her at a very strong and law enforcement employed friend, Jamess house.

Even Cecelias own sister had no idea what Adrian was doing to her, and the audience can almost be put into her sisters shoes as she explains the horrors she experienced.

Elizabeth Moss portrays the weak and beaten down character awfully well. It is obvious that Adrian has robbed Cecelia of any sense of self she may have had. She trembles when she speaks and essentially has no personality, and she also cannot dress herself whatsoever.

It is revealed that Adrian made nearly every decision for her, apart from breathing. He chose what she did, ate, wore, who she talked to and even what she thought. He wore her down to nothing and Moss conveys these feelings excellently.

Of course, Cecelia is paranoid. Shes gotten away from her husband but since he had such control over her, it can only be assumed that he would come looking for her except Cecelia quickly hears news that Adrian has taken his life.

Obviously, that was not the end of Adrian, though, or there would be no movie.

The film does an incredible job at creating suspense with its long, wide shots of various spaces in Jamess house and a near silence during them. The viewer is constantly wondering if something is going to happen or looking for a sign that something has moved, although oftentimes nothing like this occurred at all; it just leaves you anxious.

The concept of The Invisible Man comes to fruition near the halfway point in the movie, as sheets are pulled off of Cecelia and Jamess daughters bed in the night (an albeit clich horror movie trick) and Cecelia sees footprints or indentions in seats when there is obviously no actual person to be seen.

Once this idea is suggested, the movies long shots become even more unsettling as the viewer knows that while nothing can be seen, there is definitely someone there, watching.

Cecelia reveals to those close to her that Adrian was an expert with optics and she had a feeling that he had found a way to make himself invisible. However, as expected this just made people think she was a lunatic.

Adrians whole plan was to make everyone think Cecelia was crazy, though, as he could not stand that someone would leave him, let alone his wife. He only makes himself known when she is alone, or he does things that make it look like Cecelia herself was the one committing acts of violence to set her up.

It was quite frustrating at times believing that no one would likely ever realize the truth and Cecelia would continue to seem like a maniac as he had completely driven her to hysterics, but luckily near the end of the movie things start looking up for her.

There are many twists and turns that the movie takes the viewer on, but without spoiling anything too important, its safe to say that Adrian was exactly how Cecelia described him, a narcissistic sociopath, and she may or may not enact revenge on him.

Elizabeth Mosss performance as the persevering Cecelia was fantastic, and the various long shots created a thrilling atmosphere for the audience.

However, the films premise had its flaws. Somehow when Adrian became The Invisible Man it seemed as though he developed some sort of superhuman strength and agility that did not exactly make sense, and many of the scenes and storylines felt a tad predictable.

Despite its flaws, The Invisible Man was suspenseful and entertaining. It was certainly no Hereditary, but it was still pretty enjoyable.

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'The Invisible Man' a suspenseful, unexpected thriller | Entertainment - UT Daily Beacon