Dir. Leigh Whannell | Now Streaming On: Prime | Rating: 2/5

I only have passing knowledge on the H.G. Wells’ novel and the original 1933 film, so the bulk of my expectations of the 2020 version were set by its seemingly unanimous critical acclaim. I’m not sure if it was that expectation or the handling of Cecilia’s story that made this fall flat for me, but overall I wasn’t impressed with The Invisible Man.

Yes, I resonated with Cecilia’s story. I was in an abusive relationship as a teenager and lost the bulk of my formative years to a situation I was too young and too afraid to get out of. It’s a part of me and the way I view the world, so naturally I’m going to be more critical than others when watching this. About halfway, I got tired of the relentless gaslighting of her character and questioned how much of this was really needed to make the point.

The essence of The Invisible Man is a commentary on what feels like the never ending reach of an abuser, even long after they are gone and in Cee’s case, after they are supposedly dead. Every time Cee feels like she is finally in some semblance of recovery, Adrian’s influence sets her back even further. There’s something to be said about the lens of exploitation that this film could take from the point of view of a male director – but I don’t have enough characters to tackle that kind of gender theory. Don’t get this twisted, I appreciate Whannel’s work, especially Insidious – so let’s not make this an Ari Aster debacle part two.

Ultimately, the hard hitting nature of this theme is lost in the bloated two hour runtime and rambling storyline. There are a few twists scattered throughout that ultimately feel predictable and unsatisfying. With its ending, it suggests that a woman abused by a man can only truly be free by gathering up the courage to retaliate – which coming from a male director claiming to offer a feminist take on a classic, leaves a sour taste in my mouth.

Know Before You Watch: Features blood, death, mention of suicide, discussions and depictions of abuse.