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Rewatched by Fred 🇵🇷 Patron
The Invisible Man 2020
Blumhouse Ranked
HORRORx52 (2020)
2020 First Time Watches Ranked
"You're the only person I let see my hand shake."
Few things are as universal as the feeling of being watched that inadvertently creeps its way into our lives at some point or another. That unease is exponentially more prevalent in survivors of abuse. Leigh Whannell, The Invisible Man's newest steward, clearly knows this. He knows it enough to make what is without a doubt one of the most outlandish of enduring cinema premises feel concretely grounded. And he knows that while what we're witnessing on screen may not be real, the fear behind it certainly is. The merging of a near-century-old property with a timely story of domestic violence and terror go together seamlessly. Whannell's writing and sleek direction help facilitate the union but it's Elisabeth Moss who gives it the full tilt treatment. Whannell has previously proven just how great and committed a performance he can inspire in his leads and that is resoundingly the case once again. The film's treatment of victim blaming, gaslighting, and post-traumatic stress are all spot-on, giving necessary weight to harrowing realities. Despite some predictable elements, it also managed to get me drop my jaw and jump in my seat (with jump scares that didn't feel cheap, too!). I can't imagine a better, more satisfying way to bring to life what could have easily been a creaky nostalgia piece. The risky maneuvering and resonant themes make this, the first great horror film of 2020, a film that is memorable not for what is left unseen but for the visibility it gives to anyone who has lived or continues to live under another's psychological tyranny.
P.S. You just know Moss's character watched Legally Blonde at some point and LIVED when Paulette says, "I'm taking the dog, DUMBASS!"
P.P.S. Who else clocked the Easter egg appearance of a certain creepy horror icon?
P.P.P.S. The score is outstanding and one of my sure-to-be favorites for the year.