Do you ever look at your life and wish for something to be different? Maybe you wish that you didn’t carry that fear. Perhaps, you wish to part ways with that depression that you hold onto so tightly. Maybe for you it’s that anxiety that you wish didn’t exist. I think for all the wishing we do; we can sometimes fail to see what exists right in front of us. I’ll be the first to admit that the bloodline I come from is weird, which explains a lot about myself, but also mildly dysfunctional. For all that I could probably find to complain about, I know nothing of suffering.
My parents are still married. Whereas 42 to 45% of first marriages will likely end in divorce. If those couples are lucky to see another marriage through, there is a 60% that second one will end just like the first. I didn’t grow up in a broken home. My parents always kept the lights on, food on the table, clothes on our backs. We always had a way to school and jobs, when my sister and I eventually grew to be old enough to work. Homes like ours are a dying breed. My father was never abusive to my mother and vice versa. A statistic, both the National Library of Medicine & Bed Bible, states 25% of all women and every 1 in 7 males will experience physical abuse. Not to mention that every 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men are sexually abused. I’ve never had to endure that.
My parents were both victims of sexual abuse. I grew up learning about it often within our home. I’ve seen firsthand the effects that sexual abuse has on an individual long term. Even physical abuse, for that matter. That’s what is so captivating about Elisabeth Moss’ performance in 2020’s The Invisible Man. The film follows Cecilia (Moss), a recently single woman, coming out of an abusive relationship. Only to discover her ex-boyfriend, Adrian (Oliver Jackson-Cohen), is stalking her via a new suite of technology that allows its host to become invisible. As I said, before, Moss is so captivating in this role. Her complexity and conviction to show the range that the character needs and elevates her to goddess status in the process. To say, that she is anything shy of perfection is an understatement. There are scenes littered throughout where Moss has to sell the audiences solely on her fear. Keeping in mind that fear is created before she ever even finds out about the technology. The fear that Cohen instills and how Moss reacts to said fear is pure magic.
What seals the deal for the film is the script from writer-director, Leigh Whannel. Whannel manages to completely reinvent the classic universal monster for a modern MeToo audience. Honestly never failing once. His pacing for the movie, never rushes or drags. Even if it feels like it might, there is a beautiful payoff right around the corner. Everything within this movie is intentional. The Invisible Man is fearless in its PTSD honesty, before it ever settles into its more fantastical elements. Even the more fantastical elements of the movie compliment the more grounded approach. Its score by Benjamin Wallfisch manages to feel like a throwback – even for as modern as the movie feels. The haunting score operates on nostalgia and Hitchcockian terror within the same breath. Even recently going back and visiting the original cinematic source material. What made that movie such a timeless classic was how impressive its effect were. While the effects of today have advanced significantly, they don’t really feel like it with this interpretation. Maybe it’s’ the budget, maybe it’s not. There are a few scenes where the effects feel about rougher than the rest of the movie.
Overall, The Invisible Man (2020), sets its sights for perfection but disappears a bit before. Elisabeth Moss transcends herself to goddess status. Her performance is nothing short of incredible. Like seriously, I’m speechless on how good her performance is. Leigh Whannel manages to reinvent the monster icon for our modern MeToo audience in a profound way. His pacing for the movie allows the film to breathe right before it takes your breath away. While its original source material was a technical feat, its reimagined counterpart falls a bit shy of that. Some of the CGI feels a bit rough. Still a minor complaint in the grand scheme of how beautifully done The Invisible Man is. Incredible, fearless, terrifying – The Invisible Man is astonishing from start to finish.
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If you or someone you know is reading this right now and you are struggling with suicide, depression, addiction, or self-harm - please reach out. Comment, message or tweet to us. Go to victimsandvillains.net/hope for more resources. Call the suicide lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Text "HELP" to 741-741. There is hope & you DO have so much value and worth!
Victims and Villains is written and produced by Josh "Captain Nostalgia" Burkey. Music by Yuriy Bespalov & Beggars. The Invisible Man (2020) is property of Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions. We do not own nor claim any rights.