The Invisible Man (2020) (3 Viewers)

[JohnRice]

Just an unsolicited and final comment regarding spoilers. A skilled reviewer/critic can review a movie without detracting at all from the first time viewing experience, and enhance further viewings. For one thing, I notice a general attitude that it's OK to spoil movies that the reviewer didn't like. Like some sort of vendetta. Second, it's lazy reviewing to reveal things that have no need to be revealed. The movie is called Invisible Man, so it's pretty obvious it has a man who's invisible. Nothing is gained by revealing how he becomes invisible. No extra understanding is achieved.

Someone like Mark Kermode can talk about a movie for 15-20 minutes without spoiling anything for the first viewing experience, and also enhance future viewings. It just takes thought and effort. Honestly, claiming the only alternative is to say "Stuff happens to a woman..." Well, I'm not going to critique another person's ability to critique movies.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Just an unsolicited and final comment regarding spoilers. A skilled reviewer/critic can review a movie without detracting at all from the first time viewing experience, and enhance further viewings. For one thing, I notice a general attitude that it's OK to spoil movies that the reviewer didn't like. Like some sort of vendetta.

That's stupid. I try to keep my synopses fairly short and vague, and I only throw spoilers into my reviews if those spoilers are crucial to explain why I liked/disliked a movie. But I'd offer warnings in that case, and I'd never say "screw you - here come spoilers because I hated the movie".

Will I mention the invisibility method in my synopsis? Probably not, because it's not an important plot point - I view the method as irrelevant in terms of the movie's narrative and progression.

Which is why I still think it's not a spoiler!

Second, it's lazy reviewing to reveal things that have no need to be revealed. The movie is called Invisible Man, so it's pretty obvious it has a man who's invisible. Nothing is gained by revealing how he becomes invisible. No extra understanding is achieved.

In this case, I still don't see how anything is spoiled by the reveal of how the man becomes invisible.

If the movie used some shocking revelation - like he's actually an alien - then sure.

But that's not the case here. Anyone surprised when they find out the method in question is easily surprised.

I brought up the "spoiler" because this is a discussion forum and I thought it'd be interesting to discuss the method used vs. the method in prior movies.

That's it.

And I continue to wonder why people visit a discussion thread if they're concerned about knowing too much about the movie. If there's a movie where I fear spoilers, I don't enter threads and I don't read reviews!

 

[Cranston37+]

Just make sure to pick up the movie's official action figure...

 

[dpippel]

Ha! Sort of like the Donny Kerabatsos "Funeral Edition" action figure from The Big Lebowski:

 

[Patrick Sun]

And I continue to wonder why people visit a discussion thread if they're concerned about knowing too much about the movie. If there's a movie where I fear spoilers, I don't enter threads and I don't read reviews!

Back when I was a moderator, I cringed going into threads on new movies I hadn't seen yet, lest the posts spoiled the movie for me back then. So, yeah, if you're a mod, it sucks for you, but spoiler text is appreciated the first week or two. I kinda miss having a review (spoiler-free) thread and a discussion (spoilers) thread for each new movie, but most new releases didn't warrant 2 threads, so here is where we are at. I like just not having to check out a new movie thread if I hadn't seen the movie yet in my civilian role here nowadays.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Back when I was a moderator, I cringed going into threads on new movies I hadn't seen yet, lest the posts spoiled the movie for me back then. So, yeah, if you're a mod, it sucks for you, but spoiler text is appreciated the first week or two. .

And I did indicate "spoilers ahoy" in the long post I put up, since it included tons of material that clearly fell into that realm.

The "controversial" comment I made was info I still don't view as a spoiler, which is why I didn't warn readers or put it into a "spoiler safe space".

While one should enter a discussion like this without fear of reading major spoilers, one also must understand one will learn a fair amount about the plot/characters. If we don't offer specifics, then what's there to discuss? Why have a discussion thread if you can't discuss the movie?

 

[Tino]

It’s Absolutely a spoiler. I avoided most trailers and reviews and if I had known that tidbit before seeing it, I would be pissed.

I honestly believe some people just don’t know what is and isn’t a spoiler to other people. When in doubt, don’t.

Unlike other members here who have deliberately spoiled films, I’m sure Colin didn't. I try to be as vague as possible when “reviewing” a film. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Tino]

Btw I thoroughly enjoyed The Invisible Man from beginning to end. Terrific entertainment.

Moss was excellent.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

It’s Absolutely a spoiler. I avoided most trailers and reviews and if I had known that tidbit before seeing it, I would be pissed.

I honestly believe some people just don’t know what is and isn’t a spoiler to other people. When in doubt, don’t.

Unlike other members here who have deliberately spoiled films, I’m sure Colin didn't. I try to be as vague as possible when “reviewing” a film. Better safe than sorry.

If you found out in advance that Spidey in the 2002 movie had biological webshooters instead of webshooters he invented, would that be a spoiler?

 

[Tino]

If you found out in advance that Spidey in the 2002 movie had biological webshooters instead of webshooters he invented, would that be a spoiler?

Yes

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Yes

I think you and others have a very loose idea of what constitutes a "spoiler".

To me, a spoiler = important plot information.

With Spidey, we know he'll have webshooters. With the Invisible Man, we know he'll use some scientific technique to become invisible.

I don't see how it's a spoiler to find out how these happen!

 

[Tino]

I think you and others have a very loose idea of what constitutes a "spoiler".

And I think you and others may not completely understand that spoilers are subjective.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Gents, It’s time to move on!

 

[Tino]

Gents, It’s time to move on!

Agreed.

 

[Eve Babcock]

I think this movie is full of suspense. Hopefully, it will exceed my expectations.... can't wait to see this...

 

[Tino]

Hopefully, it will exceed my expectations

It did for me!

 

[JoeStemme]

The best way to approach Leigh Whannell's THE INVISIBLE MAN is to forget about H.G. Wells' novel and most of the prior film adaptations from James Whale's 1933 masterpiece on down. The one exception is 2000's HOLLOW MAN which, aside from its Oscar nominated SFX is most remembered for Director Paul Verhoeven's perceived misogyny (a charge which has followed much of his career). Here, writer-director Whannell has reversed the POV and he imagines it all from the perspective of the invisible antagonist's female victim.

Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) escapes from Adrian Griffin (Oliver Jackson-Cohen; the character name being one of the few things carried over from the Wells novel). She hides out at the home of a friend James (Aldis Hodge) and his daughter Sydney (Storm Reid). But, as he had promised/threatened - Griffin tracks her down. Structurally, the screenplay follows the spousal abuse/stalker/revenge playbook to a T. In many ways it doesn't matter if Griffin is 'visible' or not.

What makes it work is Whannell's Direction, Moss' fine performance and the controlled creepy camerawork of Cinematographer Stefan Duscio. To their credit, the filmmakers don't overtly cheat. We see what the characters see (credit also to editor Andy Canny). The one miscalculation is Benjamin Wallfisch's loud over-the-top score which is far too overwhelming for what is essentially a low key melodrama. The special effects are relatively minimal, but well handled.


THE INVISIBLE MAN is a moderately effective thriller. Layering on a sci-fi horror angle on what is a serious theme of domestic abuse is more questionable (indeed, a version where The Invisible Man doesn't even exist except in Cecilia's mind could easily be created with fairly minimal editing). That is something for each viewer to evaluate. Setting that aside for now, the movie works.

 

[Tino]

I guess the audience is invisible too.

 

[Colin Jacobson]

Just listened to the commentary for the movie. As much as I disliked the movie, I really enjoyed the commentary - Whannell tells us a lot about the movie and keeps things fun and lively. He even says "eff you" to people like me who found plot holes - in a tongue in cheek way, I think!

Whannell doesn't spend a lot of time explaining (potential) plot issues, but he does touch on one:

Spoiler

Some theorized that Adrian split time as Invisible Man with his lawyer brother and that's how the IM could be in so many different places.

Nope - Whannell says that except for the one "unmasking" scene with the brother - which exists so Adrian can frame his brother - the IM is all Adrian.

 

[Malcolm R]

With the success of The Invisible Man, Blumhouse and Universal are now conceiving remakes of Wolfman and Dracula, as well. From EW.com:

Universal Pictures is looking to bring another classic monster back to the big screen: the Wolfman.

A film about the infamous lycanthrope is in development at the studio, EW has learned. Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, both known for their work on Orange Is the New Black, penned the screenplay, which is intended to be a starring vehicle for Ryan Gosling.

According to a report in Variety, which broke the news, the project is based on a pitch by Gosling, is set in the present day, and will be "in the vein of Jake Gyllenhaal's thriller Nightcrawler."

... Another film about a classic Universal monster, Dracula, is also in development at Blumhouse, with Destroyer filmmaker Karyn Kusama set to direct.

https://ew.com/movies/universal-developing-wolfman-movie-ryan-gosling/