The Invisible Man (2020)

★★★

What you can see will never be as scary as what you cannot. The Invisible Man goes all-in on this aspect of human nature as it tells the story of a woman haunted by an abusive relationship. The film works well as both a commentary about gaslighting and a plain scary thriller.

The story begins as Cecelia, played by the incomparable Elizabeth Moss, makes her escape in the night from Adrian, a wealthy "optics expert." Although she narrowly eludes him, her crippling PTSD prevents her from living a normal life. She hides at a friend's house and does not venture outside out of fear that Adrian will find her. Relief comes as she learns

of Adrian's apparent suicide but is short-lived as he continues to live in her mind and, as becomes apparent, in real life. 

The film brings its viewers in my drawing fascinating and relevant parallels between a woman being tormented by an invisible man and the all-too-real experiences of women who escape their abusers. As paranoia and anxiety creep into her mind, the viewer understands Cecelia's frustration when no one will take her concerns seriously. On a different level, the film can be downright scary. There are a couple of jump scares, but most of the terror comes from what you can't see.

Director Leigh Whannell is wonderful at enhancing the scariness by letting the camera dwell on empty spaces. Throughout the film, Cecelia will be packing a bag or cooking breakfast and, all of a sudden, the camera will pan to an empty space. I found myself constantly searching the frame to catch a glimpse of the titular Invisible Man. There's nothing scarier than being sure that something is there without knowing where it is.

The film is not without its flaws. The plot is a little wonky if you think about it too hard. Many of the twists are somewhat predictable. When the film isn't scary, it can be a little boring. I doubt many of the scares will hold up on rewatch, though the film's powerful and unique themes could give it extra life. One glaring issue has to do with the mystery itself. It doesn't take very long for you to be certain that there is something other than Cecelia's paranoia haunting her. More ambiguity would have made the film stronger.

The main takeaway is that Elizabeth Moss is the real deal. I would be very surprised if she isn't nominated for multiple Oscars this decade. Moss is excellent at depicting a woman who has been broken by a controlling, narcissistic boyfriend. Her portrayal of pain, trauma, and paranoia is subtle and convincing. The Invisible Man is the first good movie of 2020.

CJH